The Road Not Taken
by RK-Striker-JK-5
Summary: AU of the Jedi Academy Trilogy. Six years after ROTJ, Luke sets out to resurrect the Jedi... and finds love along the way. Luke/Tionne.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One: Exis Station**

Luke steered his borrowed freighter in a series of seemingly haphazard maneuvers, each twist and turn narrowly avoiding a solar flare from the star known as Teedio. Very soon, he picked out the orbiting Exis Station; little more than a central core with dozens of solar-collection panels jutting out. And inside that central core, he could feel a single life form.

Beside him, Artoo sent out a stream of beeps, whistles and hoots that roughly translated as, Are you out of your kriffin' _mind_?

Luke chuckled as he circled the station, looking for a docking port or hangar bay. "It's all right, Artoo. I know what I'm doing." _I hope,_ he silently added. Finally, he spotted a hangar door that would accommodate the freighter. "I'm going in. Artoo, hack into the central computer and open the door, okay?"

A slender computer jack extended from Artoo's cylindrical body and hooked into the freighter's transceiver array. He transmitted a series of instructions to Exis Station's central computer and, within minutes, had the hangar doors opening. With deft hands, Luke steered the freighter inside. The ship touched down with nary a shudder as the doors closed and a breathable atmosphere was reestablished.

Luke exited the freighter, glow rod and lightsaber in hand. "Better stay behind, Artoo," he instructed. The astromech blatted, but rolled back up and into the freighter.

Luke focused his attention on the life form he felt. As he approached it, he began picking out details about it-her. _Female, humanoid. Some Force sensitivity. Also feels cute… where the heck did _that _come from?_ He walked along the darkened corridors, feeling history itself leap out at him.

A light grew bright ahead. He turned right at an intersection and entered a large room. Several shelves lined the walls, containing ancient lightsabers, robes, holocrons… all manner of artifact lay on the dust-covered shelves. His mind almost boggled at the treasure trove of items there, but that's not what his eyes landed on.

A young humanoid stood in front of a set of lightsabers with a holo-recorder whirring. She wore a silvery dress that left her pale arms bare and seemed to be made of liquid metal. Mother-of-pearl eyes and slightly pointed ears pointed to a slightly nonhuman origin. Luke's breath caught slightly in his throat. "My-my name is Luke Skywalker," he finally announced, startling her. "Oh, sorry."

She took several deep breaths before speaking. "I know. I've read all about you." She took a few steps forward, her hands clutching the holo-recorder nervously. "For as long as I can remember, I've admired you and your drive to bring back the Jedi."

Luke nodded, "How long is your memory? You're not much younger than I am."

The woman's eyes looked down. "I don't remember where I come from, actually. There are holes in my memory, holes that go back a long way." She ran her hand through her hair before putting on an air of happiness. "I've been cataloging the various artifacts here. I wasn't sure if I should even touch them or not."

The newly-minted Jedi Master nodded and walked over to a shelf. His hand passed over several lightsabers. "I'm not sure, either. This is an incredible find Miss…"

The young woman chuckled. "Whoops. Sorry, Mister Sky-"

"Call me Luke."

The woman smiled, flashing a set of dazzlingly-white teeth. "Okay, Luke. My name is Tionne. Tionne what, I'm not sure."

Luke turned and extended a gauntleted hand. "A pleasure, Tionne," he said, smiling.

Tionne slid her hand out of Luke's firm grasp and motioned to the various artifacts. "I've taken scans of all of them, but I'm not sure if I should move them. They're so old." She leaned forward and peered at one of the old holocrons. "And dusty, too."

Luke suppressed a chuckle. "Those ancient Jedi artifacts can take quite a licking." he picked up a holocron and held it up to the light. "So much knowledge, here. It's a wonder Palpatine didn't destroy the station." He took a step back and gazed at all of the shelves. "It would take-" his danger sense suddenly kicked in. "Watch out!" he shouted, grabbing Tionne by the shoulders and jumping back mere seconds before the entire station _shifted._

He rolled in midair so he could take the brunt of the landing. The pair hit the deck and rolled until they hit the opposite wall, their faces mere millimeters from one another. Tionne gazed into Luke's haunted blue eyes while he gazed right back into her wide-open mother-of-pearl eyes. Suddenly, his comlink chirped.

Luke, the station's been hit by a solar flare and is tumbling out of control! You'd better get back here pronto!

The Jedi Master got to his feet, aiding Tionne. He got his comlink out and held it up to his mouth. "We'll be right there!" he shouted. His gloved hand wrapped around Tionne's. "Come on, we've got to get out of here."

Tionne stopped. "Wait, what about all this?" Her free hand motioned to the artifacts. "We can't just leave them!"

Luke's mouth worked around for a bit. The answers to so many questions were within reach, but he knew he didn't have the time to gather the artifacts. And to pick and choose among them… "I wouldn't know where to begin, Tionne."

The young woman glanced about. "Begin? Begin where? I meant use the Force to stop Exis Station from tumbling out of control." Her eyes darted about. "Well, what are you waiting for?"

Luke's jaw dropped as her words sank in. _Size matters not_ intoned in his mind, words of wisdom from Yoda. He looked back into Tionne's eyes, and he suddenly _knew_ he could do it. His eyes drifted half-closed as he began summoning the Force…

Two hands grabbed onto his own. His eyes opened and he saw Tionne standing there, a smile on her face. "I believe in you," she said.

Suddenly, the station lurched again, sending both stumbling a bit. Luke quickly regained his center and extended his sense beyond the confines of the corridor he and Tionne were in, reaching out to the out of control station. He telekinetically grabbed onto the main core, gradually slowing the spin and taking care not to do it too violently, lest the outer solar panels were to rip off. Exis Station began slowing down and swung back into its original orbit, as if it never left.

A sigh escaped Luke's mouth as he suddenly felt quite tired. The stopping of Exis Station's tumble proved quite exhausting, even to a Jedi Master. His shoulder slumped and his head lowered-just in range for Tionne to give him a kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks for saving us," she said, a grin almost splitting her face in half. The smile turned into a frown almost as quickly as it blossomed, though. "What's wrong? Are you ill?" she asked, concern in her voice.

Luke swallowed as he tried to tamp down on the crimson color his cheeks were turning. "I'm fine, nothing to worry about," he practically spit out. He hesitated before speaking again. "I know you're Force-sensitive, but I can't force you to-"

Tionne interrupted him. "If you think the whole 'dangerous path' spiel is gonna dissuade me, forget it. Like I said, I've been admiring your work for as long as I can remember. And I would be honored if you took me as an apprentice."

Luke could feel her determination but still... "It won't be easy."

Tionne nodded, a lump suddenly in her throat. "I know, but I still want to help."

The Jedi Master thought for a moment before taking her hand. "Then I will accept it." He fished his comlink out of his pocket and activated it, "Artoo, power up the engines. We're leaving."

Artoo's binary code language came over. Finally! I can't stand being on this rattletrap any longer.

Tionne's eyebrow arched. "What's wrong with him? This isn't such a bad place."

Luke glanced over. "You can understand him?" he asked, incredulous.

She shrugged. "Bits and pieces. Plus the tone in his warbling helped a bit." She laughed, a musical sound. "I suspect most astromech units are like that."

They reached the freighter and found Artoo waiting for them at the main hatch. About time, and who's the lady? His cylindrical body shook a bit. Wait, I got a bad feeling about this…

Luke waved him off. "Artoo, I'd like you to meet Tionne. Tionne, this is Artoo. He behaves-most of the time." He pressed a button on the control panel, retracting the entry ramp and sealing the ship up. "Time to get going to Yavin. Gantoris and Kam are waiting there."

Five minutes later, the borrowed freighter lifted off and exited Exis Station. The sublight engines fired, sending it away from Teedio and out of the gravity well. Within seconds, the ship seemed to 'extend' as it entered hyperspace, leaving behind their reality for a short while.

Kam Solusar's head shot up as a familiar freighter landed in front of him, Gantoris and Brakkis. Keiran was in the Temple putting several containers of supplies but would be done soon. The grizzled Jedi walked up as Luke and some young girl exited. "Great to see you again, Master. How was your trip to Exis Station?" He glanced at the girl, but said nothing to her.

Luke motioned to the freighter. "Very, Kam. We've got a hold full of ancient holocrons and lightsabers, as well as a new student." He smiled and stepped forward. "Kam Solusar, meet Tionne. Tionne, this is Kam, one of the more advanced students."

Tionne smiled enthusiastically and extended her hand. "An honor," she exclaimed. Her face fell when Kam arched an eyebrow at her and let out a deep breath. "Charmed." He looked over at Luke. "Can we talk, Master?"

Luke's expression hardened as he sensed Kam's feelings. "Very well." He nodded to Tionne as Kam fell into step beside him. They quickly reached the other side of the freighter. "You don't think she should be trained." It wasn't a question.

Kam looked askance. "She's not powerful, and a bit naïve. I can tell that much just by looking at her." He glanced back at her. Tionne was making small talk with Gantoris, looking somewhat nervous. "I think it's a mistake to train her. What can she offer?"

He turned back to Luke, but shirked back at the Jedi Master's piercing gaze. "What can Keiran offer us, or Gantoris? Raw power is not potential. It's also skill and drive to better yourself." He paused. "And it's not like I can afford to turn anyone away at this point, Kam."

The grizzled Jedi sighed and tilted his head once. "Very well, Luke." Both men turned and walked back to the front of the Great Temple.

Gantoris, meanwhile, was standing in front of Tionne, his hard eyes boring into her. "I don't think you belong here," he flatly stated.

Tionne's mouth screwed up and she planted her hands on her hips. "Hey, I'm getting enough grief from tall, pale and grizzled over there. I don't need it from you."

The colonist leaned back in surprise. "You can hear that? How?"

She pointed to her slightly-pointed ears. "Luke and I brought about seventy holocrons and almost a hundred lightsabers back with us from Exis Station. I was able to access one and learned some rudimentary sense-enhancement from someone named Bastila. It was kinda easy."

Gantoris grunted, but there was a slight twinkle in his otherwise dead eyes as he turned away from Tionne. She leaned forward and turned as he walked back to the cargo containers. "Weird…" she muttered.

Luke and Kam approached her. "Tionne, I think I know the perfect spot for the lightsabers and holocrons. Would you like me to show you?"

The trainee smiled brightly. "I'd be honored, Master Skywalker," she said, walking up the steps to the entrance of the Great Temple.

The Sole Jedi Master blushed for some reason as he walked up behind her. At the foot of the stairs, Kam sighed and shook his head. "And I thought it was bad with Jem."

Tionne placed the last of the holocrons on the shelf. Her gaze drifted out from them to the lightsabers still in the cargo containers. Here, in the old briefing room where the attack against the first Death Star was planned, Tionne could almost feel the old ghosts of the pilots.

"Nice place. Although it could use some curtains."

Tionne turned and looked as Keiran Halcyon entered. "Oh, hi!" she said, walking over to him. "How do you like it?"

'Keiran' smiled faintly. "I'm a pilot, so I'm familiar with rooms like this." He ran his finger across one of the shelves and let out a sigh. "So many memories here." He looked over. "I actually chose the room Biggs Darklighter, Wedge Antilles and Jek Porkins shared before the Battle of Yavin."

Tionne nodded and patted him on the shoulder. "If I can feel the ghosts here with my feeble abilities, I can only imagine what you can feel there."

Keiran arched an eyebrow at her. ''Feeble abilities'?" He tugged down on his shirt and pointed at her. "Don't sell yourself short, kid. You've got a long road ahead of you, and you've got a great teacher. Luke's the best there is."

Tionne chuckled. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Keiran." She turned back and let out a sigh. "it's gonna take me a while to sort out these lightsabers."

The Jedi pilot shrugged and motioned to the door. "Well, we're having lunch down in the commissary. Come on and join us." His eyes sparkled conspiratorially. "Luke's there, too."

Tionne swallowed, tamping down her enthusiasm and schooling her face into a look of impassiveness as she followed him out. _Lightsabers can wait. Luke can't._


	2. Chapter 2

Game3525-Thanks.

**Chapter Two: School's in Session**

Tionne held the stick out in front of her and thrust it forward, taking a step with each jab into the air.

Keiran stood by her, noting her exercises. "Not bad. Maybe later I can show you some hand-to-hand combat techniques."

Tionne stopped and wiped some sweat from her brow, her sleeve soaking in the sweat rather easily. "Why?" she asked. "I'm not that much of a fighter." She resumed her thrusting. "You, Kam, Luke, Gantoris. You're the fighters."

The green-haired trainee waved her off. "No excuses, Tionne." His tone was rough, but his eyes twinkled a bit. "Now keep at it, kid," he said, leaning against one of the ubiquitous trees dotting the training area.

The silver-haired trainee went back to her lightsaber practice. "I notice you and Gantoris have struck up quite the rivalry. I'm rather surprised at you."

Keiran stood up straight at that. "Well-he shows off a lot! And he makes fun of me so much." He leaned back against the tree and looked to the sky.

Tionne growled, an odd sound coming from such an unassuming woman. "How old are you two again? You don't hear about Kirana Ti and I arguing all the time and belittling each other."

Just then, Luke approached the pair. He wasn't wearing his cape and had on a short-sleeved shirt, black as usual. Keiran and Tionne could feel the barely-restrained power inside the young man, the last Jedi Master in Known Space.

Tionne swallowed and bowed her head. "Master, how are you today?" she asked, trying to control the trembling in her voice.

Luke returned the head bow. "My meditations have been… troubling, as of late. I feel a darkness, but it's diffuse right now." He noted the stick in her hands and smiled. "I trust Keiran isn't too hard a taskmaster?" he said, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Keiran, meanwhile, had his eyes almost rolled into the back of his head. He had no objections to romance per say, but these two were acting fairly ridiculous. He motioned to Luke, breaking up their reverie. "Ah, Master Skywalker, you were saying something about a darkness?"

Luke looked up and over at him. He shook his head almost imperceptibly. "Yes, yes. It's unfocused right now, but I have a feeling it must be found. And soon. The future of what we're trying to create here might be at stake."

Tionne hesitated for a moment. "You mean what we're creating, right? Like Yoda told you, 'there is no try.'"

The Jedi Master let a full-blown smile cross his normally serene face. "I stand corrected, Tionne." He schooled his face into something more serious. "Perhaps you could do some research into the old temples here? I am rather curious about them."

Tionne nodded. "Yes, Master. That would be a rather good idea." She turned her head to Keiran, her long hair whipping about. "Keiran," she said, bowing slightly to him.

The undercover Corellian returned the bow before she walked off. He meandered over to Luke. "So, when's the date?"

Luke blinked twice and turned to Keiran, a look of confusion on his face. "Date? What date?"

"Never mind… So, how are the other students doing?"

"Kyle and Kam are in some odd machismo competition concerning the number of stones they can levitate. Gantoris is scaring Brakiss with his very presence. Kirana Ti is following Dorsk 81 around for some odd reason. Streen is on the rooftop." Luke shrugged. "All in all, a lot better than what I thought. I half-expected some of them to go to the Dark Side by now."

Keiran smiled at that, but stopped when he realized Luke was serious. "Hey, considering what you started with, I think you're doing a great job. What did you start with, nothing? Now you've got twelve students and an academy. Not bad for a start."

Luke fixed him with a stare. "Yes, but I must progress beyond 'not bad'. You all deserve a lot more than 'not bad'."

* * *

_He fixed upon the Jedi's doubt, letting it feed him. How delicious such negative emotions tasted to him, especially after all this time!_

_Exar Kun let his senses drift, focusing on the various trainees about. All of them would make good candidates for Sith. Very good candidates. Still he had better not bite off more than he could absorb. Starting small would work best._

_He focused on one student in particular… Gantoris, former leader of the mining colony of Eol Sha. Good potential, with a core of anger and arrogance in his being. Exar's spirit form coalesced briefly into human form, letting him directly observe Gantoris as he unconsciously intimidated the weaker Brakiss. _Yes, perfect for my needs,_ he thought. _He will be the first of my new Sith, but not the last.

* * *

Lessons in the Force and the nature of being a Jedi continued apace for the next few weeks, with each one beginning to forge their own path. Tionne began stringing together an odd instrument in her spare time, not even sure how she remembered the procedure.

Luke examined the instrument. "What's it called?" he asked.

Tionne shrugged. "Double viol-and don't ask me how I know that." She plucked at it a bit, tuning it by ear. "I wonder if I've got a talent for songwriting?" she asked, her voice light but emotions heavy.

Luke patted her on the shoulder, that simple touch sending an odd tingle through her shoulder and his hand. He took it back and shook it a bit, not sure where that came from. "Anyway… How is your research coming?"

She walked over and picked up a holocron, activating it. "Not so good, actually. Ever heard of a Sith Lord named Naga Sadow?" Luke shook his head, prompting the trainee to continue. "I learned from gatekeeper Vodo-Siosk Baas about him. He built the temples about five thousand years ago. Exar Kun took them over a thousand years later and used them as his secret headquarters for his attacks on the Old Republic. Ulic Qel-Droma eventually betrayed the location and it was attacked."

Tionne's voice dropped to a whisper. "the entire jungle was leveled and all the Massassi were killed. Exar's body was never found, though."

Luke shrugged. "A Base Delta Zero wouldn't leave that much…" His voice trailed off as his hand went up to the ancient stone blocks. "But how are these temples still here, then? Why weren't they turned to rubble?"

The silver-haired trainee thought for a moment, her brow furrowing. "I… don't know." She looked around. "Even Old Republic ships should've been able to leave more damage than a burnt forest, right?"

Luke nodded. "You're right. Something's wrong here. What, I'm not sure." He looked to the door. "I'll be back. Please continue working on the instrument." And with that, he left.

Tionne's head tilted as she watched Luke stride out, her eyes never leaving him. She reluctantly went back to her instrument and restarted her stringing of it, although her mind soon began to unconsciously wander.

Luke, meanwhile, found himself outside at the main landing field. Gantoris and Keiran were sparring with lightsabers ignited. The hum and whine of the striking plasma blades filled the air as Brakiss and Kirana Ti looked on.

Keiran ducked an overhead swing while Gantoris almost mechanically pressed on. Keiran sent several mid-level thrusts at Gantoris' gut, but each one was batted away with relative ease. A rare smile crossed the miner's stoic face as he advanced. Luke's brow creased as the duel continued.

He stepped forward. "That's enough, you two. We can't serve the Force if we kill each other before our training's done!" He raised his hands and gently separated them with a slight Force push.

Both trainees turned to Luke. Keiran nodded in compliance, but Gantoris turned his eyes to him. "But Master, we need to push ourselves to the limit. If we are to be defenders of the New Republic-"

Luke interrupted him. "No, Gantoris. We are not defenders of any government. The previous Order seemed to be heavily tied to the Old Republic and was hamstrung by politicking and red adhesive. We will defend the defenseless and help the helpless."

Gantoris stood there for a moment before nodding in compliance. "Very well, Master." He turned and walked off, away from the Temple.

Kam began going after him, but Luke stepped in front of him. "Don't. I'll talk to him later, Kam." His eyes turned ice-cold. "I have a bad feeling about this."

Keiran smirked, despite the seriousness of the situation. "Do all the Heroes of Yavin have bad feelings about everything?"

Luke turned his eyes on him, causing the undercover fighter pilot to visibly flinch. "Only when they're justified, Keiran." And with that, he moved off and back to the Temple.

Brakiss shook his head. "I think those feelings are catching. Gantoris creeps me out, and I was taught by Vader's apprentice Lumiya!"

Kirana Ti arched an eyebrow. "You got that much training in the Dark Side?"

The handsome trainee held up his hands and backed away. "It didn't stick! I swear!" He motioned to where Gantoris had disappeared to. "Besides, we've got bigger problems than that."

The Dathomirian warrior nodded. "Aye, Brakiss. That we do…"

Keiran cleared his throat. "Well, we've got to do something before Gantoris decides to start wearing all black and doing Force garrotes."

Brakiss nodded. "Yeah. Only question is what? I recognize his attitude." A shallow smile crossed his aristocratic features. "Most of Lumiya's cohorts in the Deep Core were like him."

Kirana Ti arched an inquisitive eyebrow at him, but said nothing. She turned to Keiran, her brown hair swishing. "We should at least keep an eye on him. Anyone know where he spends most of his time?"

The Corellian shrugged. "I've seen him with Dorsk 81 a few times heading off in the direction of some other temples. Not sure which ones, though."

Kirana nodded. "All right." She widened her stance and began pointing at everyone in turn. "Keiran, move into the jungle and try and get a tail on Gantoris. Brakiss, find Dorsk and ask him which temples Gantoris visits. I'm going to get Master Skywalker and talk to him about Gantoris."

Keiran turned his eyes to Brakiss before turning back to the warrior. "Ah… Kirana, this isn't Dathomir. You realize that, right?"

Kirana fixed her quantum armor stare onto him, causing him to flinch. "Do you have a better idea?"

"…No."

"Then good. Let's go, gentlemen." And with that, Kirana Ti strode off to the Great Temple.

Brakiss let out a sigh. "Well, this'll be fun." He slapped Keiran on the shoulder. "Have any experience with guys like Gantoris?"

Keiran smirked. "Oh, a few times in my former line of work…"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three: Sith Against Jedi, Round 900! **

Keiran stood over Jedi trainee Dorsk 81, arms crossed and a stern expression on his face. "Okay, Dorsk. We know you're with him. Come clean and you might not end up in the Tatooine stockade!"

Dorsk's eyes widened. "With who, Keiran?" He glanced at Brakiss, who was standing next to the green-haired trainee. "What's going on?"

Brakiss eyed Keiran. "That's what I'd like to find out. Keiran, back down."

A smirk crossed Keiran's face. "Oh no, Brakiss. I won't stop until I've gotten the truth out of him! Now where did you and Gantoris go last night? Answer me!"

The green-skinned clone shrank down in his seat while Brakiss placed a hand on Keiran's chest, holding him back. "Wait a minute, Keiran. This isn't right. Dorsk hasn't done anything."

Keiran smirked. _Glad to see he's getting it,_ he thought. "Don't try and hold me back, Brakiss. You won't succeed." He slammed his hands on the table and leaned right into Dorsk's face. "Give Gantoris up, Dorsk. It's the only way."

By now Brakiss had absolutely no idea what Keiran was doing. He grabbed the slightly older man and, with assistance from the Force, pulled him back. "What the hell are you doing?" he asked through gritted teeth.

Keiran looked at him, realization dawning. "Ah… Good Corsec, bad Corsec?"

A full minute passed before Brakiss could respond. "You're joking-no, you're not joking." He placed his hands on his hips and shook his head. "Keiran, this isn't some cheesy holo-drama. And as far as I know, you're not part of Corsec." He paused. "And shouldn't you be tailing Gantoris?"

Keiran bit his lower lip so as not to blurt out that, in fact, he was once part of Corsec. But that would've endangered Mirax, so he simply shook his head at the first question and responded to the second. "Well… I lost him, actually. So I came back to help you out."

The younger Jedi sighed. "Oh, never mind." And he turned back to a legitimately scared Dorsk. "Dorsk, in all seriousness, we need to know where you and Gantoris have been heading. We're worried about him."

Dorsk glanced about before speaking. "There's a temple out there, with an obsidian statue in the center of a lake. I always accompany him, but whenever I get there…" He shuddered and wrapped his arms around his body. "I fell asleep. And I dreamt of odd things. A human who would laugh maniacally. Odd creatures building the temples." He looked at Brakiss, then at Keiran. "What does it mean?"

Brakiss paled somewhat. "It means something, actually." He turned to Keiran. "Force sensitive beings experience visions. The past, the future, the present…" He trailed off before continuing. "We just have to figure out what they mean."

Keiran nodded. "Well, I'll bet anything that laughing man is behind all this." he turned to Dorsk. "Can you remember what he looked like?"

The clone thought. "Eyes like fire, and he had some sort of brand on his forehead. It looked like a spider!"

Keiran turned to Brakiss. "I'll go see Tionne. If she's not making lovey-dovey eyes with Master Skywalker, she might be able to help me."

Brakiss nodded, a wry smile on his thin lips. "Good luck with that." He sighed. "I just hope Kirana Ti can convince him to confront Gantoris before it's too late. For him _and_ for us."

* * *

Kirana Ti's head tilted back as she let loose with a sneeze. She rubbed the bottom of her nose and twitched it. "I don't recall having any allergies," she muttered.

Luke stood in front of her, gloved hands clasped behind his back. "I understand your concerns, Kirana, but Gantoris really hasn't done anything of the Dark Side. A little 'enthusiasm' in training does not equal the Dark Side." A slight smile crossed his lips. "You should've seen me on Dagobah, actually."

The warrior let a small smile play across her lips as she thought of the calm Jedi Master running through the swamps of Dagobah, but it quickly vanished. "I still believe there's something up with him. And I'm not the only one."

He nodded. "You have a point, Kirana. And only a foolish teacher does not listen to his students. I will talk to him."

Kirana let out a breath and her shoulders sagged a bit in relief. "Thank you, Master. You know, for a male, you're pretty smart." And with that, she left.

Luke stood there for several seconds. "Thank you… I think."

* * *

_"We never felt Exar's body leave the physical world. His body was undoubtedly immolated by the massive concentration of firepower, but we were still puzzled by the relative lack of damage to the temples."_

Tionne looked up from her notes to the holographic image of Nomi Sunrider. "Did Ulic comment on anything? Did he find anything amiss?"

Nomi's image flickered as the holocron accessed its internal database. _"Negative. By that time he was stripped of the Force by myself."_ Her eyes blinked, and Tionne reminded herself that it wasn't actually the famed Jedi Master, or even her spirit. _"All he could do was stand amid the wreckage after the attack."_

Tionne nodded. "Thank you, Master Nomi." She deactivated the holocron and looked over her written notes. "Okay, no body. But Obi-Wan and Yoda left nothing behind. And their spirits were still able to access the physical world. And the temples standing is _not_ a good sign…" She scratched at the back of her neck, feeling an odd presence somewhere…

The trainee leapt to her feet. "Show yourself!"

* * *

_He moved about Tionne's room before leaving. Exar was genuinely surprised she sensed him, considering her limited potential. His barriers must've been weakened by low energy. He would have to step up the schedule and either turn Gantoris… or make a nice meal of him._

* * *

Lightsabers flashed and whined as Luke and Kam sparred in the clearing. Keiran, Kirana Ti, Brakiss, Kyle Katarn and Tionne observed them.

Well, Tionne mostly observed Luke, but she occasionally glanced at Kam.

By now the sun was setting, casting shadows on everyone and everything, but those shadows were already receding as the gas giant rose into the sky, dominating it as it had for millennia.

Luke talked as he and Kam clashed. "The pre-Purge Jedi Order had seven main styles of lightsaber combat. Tionne, why don't you tell us about them?" he asked, tossing her a wink.

The scholar got to her feet and scrolled through information she had recorded on a datapad. "We-well. The forms got more complex the higher the form number. The final form was known as Vaapad. It actually skirted the edge of the Dark Side of the Force, so aggressive it is." She swallowed at the implications of that. "Why would anyone learn something so dangerous?"

Kam ducked a slash and thrust at Luke's midsection, holding on as it was parried away. "Well, Mace Windu was the only one able to 'walk the line'." Luke suddenly stood up straight and deactivated his lightsaber mere seconds before Kam sliced at his face. The former Dark Side Elite growled. "You took one hell of a risk right there!"

"No, I didn't. You're too good for a mistake like that." He turned just as Gantoris emerged from the underbrush. "Hello, Gantoris. Where have you been?"

The former colony leader shrugged. "I was off exploring the jungle. Did I miss an important lesson?" he asked, snideness in his voice.

The Jedi Master summoned his thoughts and centered himself. "Gantoris, Kirana Ti has expressed some concerns about you. And I'm starting to share them. You're overly aggressive in training and disappear for long hours."

Gantoris sighed and motioned to the jungle. "I am simply exploring the old temples, Master. They're… interesting. And I've learned a lot from them." An unnatural-looking smirk formed on his lips. "Perhaps we all could learn something from them."

Luke walked down the remainder of the steps and locked eyes with the former colony leader. "I seriously doubt that, Gantoris. And what could you learn from there that you couldn't learn here?"

A snarl escaped his dry lips. "Maybe to defeat the Dark Man lurking in my dreams?" Gantoris pulled at his hair as everyone watched. "He haunts even my waking hours, Master. I can't escape him!"

Tionne covered her mouth in horror. "Gantoris…" she whispered. She walked up to him, but he brushed her aside and stormed up the steps of the Great Temple.

Kirana Ti growled and _ran_, covering the distance in a few seconds. She grabbed onto Gantoris' arm and spun him around. "Gantoris, if you ever touch Tionne again like that…" She let the threat hang in the air for a few heartbeats before Gantoris stomped down the steps to Tionne, who was standing with Luke next to her.

"I am sorry, Tionne. I am sorry, Master Skywalker. I let my emotions get the better of me." He bowed his head and everyone felt shame and embarrassment wafting off of him.

Tionne steadied herself before replying. "It's all right, Gantoris."

Luke spoke up, his face a mask of determination. "Gantoris, let us help you. You can get a lot more from here," he motioned to the Great Temple and the other students, "than from anywhere else. We are stronger together."

Gantoris looked at everyone there, his dark eyes almost shining. "Thank you. I shall… consider it."

Luke nodded, satisfied for the moment. "Consider it, Gantoris, but reach a decision quickly." His head darted about. "I have been sensing something amiss."

Kyle spoke up. "Hey, I've got enough heavy ordinance here to deal with anything, Luke. Just say the word."

"Then I shall remain silent, Kyle."

* * *

Luke went to each of the students in the middle of the night and wordlessly summoned them. They donned their cloaks and followed him down a tunnel to the bottom of the Temple. A small pool of still, warm water lay at the bottom. He motioned to it and spoke. "This is our destination."

He snapped off the lamp he was holding. "Here, the water is perfect for meditation. Slide in and let your spirit fly." And with that, he shed his robe and stepped into the pool, wading out to the center. The water barely stirred as it lapped around his waist.

Tionne, Keiran, Kam, Kyle, Brakiss, Dorsk 81, Kirana Ti, Gantoris and the rest followed him, spreading out. The pool rippled a bit more, but remained calm.

The silver-haired trainee looked up, letting her spirit fly out to beyond. The temperature of the water and its buoyancy reminded her of the deepest of meditations. She flew past planets, moons, stars and galaxies. It was beyond free, beyond liberating. A broad smile crossed her face, but it quickly vanished as she felt something… odd. A brief tingling of familiarity.

"Mom? Dad?"

A sudden bubbling broke her concentration. She looked about and saw the pool churning, heating up. She gasped and began wading over behind everyone else. She leaped for the edge of the grotto-and her slender fingers failed to find purchase on the smooth stones. She tried again-and failed again.

Luke, who was helping Keiran up, sensed her panic and looked over. "Tionne!" he cried, jumping back in. He wrapped an arm around Tionne's slender waist and concentrated, telekinetically lifting them both out of the water just before the water hit a lethal temperature.

Both lay on the rock panting for a few minutes. Luke turned his head to her. "Are you all right?"

Tionne nodded, too afraid to speak. She blinked several times, hoping no one noticed the tears of shame she shed.

Gantoris walked over from a panting Dorsk 81 and helped Keiran help Luke to his feet. "You are not the Dark Man," the colony leader said, his beard dripping. "The Dark Man wouldn't have saved her." And with that, he walked off to the entrance and out of the cave.

Luke held out a hand in Tionne's direction. She took it and was helped to her feet. Her dress clung to her body and weighed heavily on her body, dragging down her spirits as well.

_You have nothing to be ashamed of_, a voice said in her head. She looked over and saw Luke with a smile on his face. "What did you see?"

Tionne thought. "I didn't see anything. But I felt…" She touched her fingers to her chin. "I felt something familiar. Almost a piece of my past."

Keiran patted her on the shoulder. "You going to be all right?" he asked, brotherly concern in his voice. "I know what it's like to have your past turned upside down."

A bittersweet smile crossed Tionne's lips. Not entirely, Keiran. I'd have to have a past to begin with." And with that, she walked out of the grotto, head straight but eyes downcast. It wasn't until she reached the basement of the Great Temple that she began to run.

Luke hesitated before taking off after her, leaving Keiran with Brakiss and Kirana Ti. The pilot turned to them. "That was… weird." He looked over at the former Sith apprentice and the Dathomirian warrior. "Either of you feel like you were in hyperspace without the ship?"

Kirana Ti stared at him for a moment. "Actually… I did." A smile crossed the stoic Jedi's face. "I sailed past Dathomir, and even took a jaunt to Hapes. Teneniel's daughter is quite a handful, it would appear."

The three began making their way up the narrow path, Brakiss leading the way. "I saw… some old friends." Neither Keiran, nor Kirana could see the scowl on his face. "I felt their power, and their lust for even more. I can't believe I worked with them."

The warrior Jedi pursed her lips. "As long as you don't resume your own lust for power, Brakiss."

"Oh, I won't, Kirana Ti." The trio emerged into the basement of the Great Temple. Brakiss stretched, popping his spine a bit. "Well, I'm off for the night. I haven't mastered drawing upon the Force to supplement sleep."

Keiran smiled at that. "My former job demanded that I catch nerf-naps whenever possible."

Kirana's lips at that. "And just what was that job, Keiran? We don't know that much about you, now that I think about it…"

Brakiss wheeled about on his heel, turning to face Keiran. "Hmm, she's right, now that I think about it." He leaned forward, rubbing his chin. "You have a Corellian name, and needing nerf-naps… are you a smuggler, by any chance?"

A short bark of laughter escaped the green-haired trainee's lips. "Me, a smuggler?" Tears fell from his eyes and his body shook with laughter. "No-no. I was never a smuggler."

Kirana did a brief scan of him through the Force, detecting no lies from him. "Well, what did you do?" she asked, a hint of impatience in her voice.

Keiran swallowed and began pacing around the basement, slowly making his way for the turbolift. "Well, it's not something I can discuss." He waved off Kirana Ti's question. "I'm sorry, but I promise I'll tell you. Some day."

Both Brakiss and Kirana thought about that before nodding. "All right, Keiran," Brakiss said. "Just don't forget."

Keiran thought of Mirax. "Oh, don't worry. There's no way certain… people would let me forget to tell you." He finally reached the turbolift. "May the Force be with you," he said before the doors closed.

* * *

Tionne entered her room and collapsed against the wall, sliding down. Her eyes were wide and her breath came in gasps. She couldn't believe it! Some hot gas and boiling water had nearly ended her life, all because she couldn't levitate herself.

She felt Luke walk in and up to her. His eyes had automatically adjusted to the dimness of the room, allowing to lever himself down to her level. "Tionne, I won't ask you if you're all right, because I know you're not." He looked at her. "You weren't the only one to falter. Dorsk 81 also had to be pulled out."

The silver-haired trainee nodded. "By Gantoris. I remember that." She shook her head. "I wonder how he's doing."

Luke got to his feet and reached out with the Force. "He's sleeping, not sulking in his room." Tionne's mouth opened, but Luke continued on. "You panicked, which isn't a crime, Tionne. Dwelling on it too much, however…"

Tionne got to her feet and walked to her desk. She flicked on a lamp and stood there for several moments before turning to Luke. "You're right. I have to be stronger than this." She clenched her fist as determination washed over her. "I will be stronger!" A sudden thought then struck her. "But how?"

A small smile crossed Luke's lips. "You will find your strength, Tionne." And with that, he whirled around and exited the room, cape billowing out behind him.

Tionne's lips twisted. "He can be a bit too dramatic, on occasion."

A voice suddenly echoed through her head. _I heard that_. There was no malice behind Luke's thought, though. None that Tionne could detect. Years later, she'd note it held a bit of playfulness… a bit of flirting.

* * *

Gantoris snapped the focusing emitter into place and held out the 30-centimeter rod away from him, afraid it might explode for some reason. He screwed up his courage before flipping his new lightsaber on. A violet-white blade sprang forth with the customary _snap-hiss_, driving away almost all the shadows.

A low chuckle came from him. At last, a way to kill the Dark Man! Gantoris now had nothing to fear. He could slay him and bring peace to his dreams.

* * *

_Exar Kun's spirit flowed around the room, observing the young fool playing with his new toy. It would be quite delightful to manipulate him into killing the pretender known as Luke. And if that didn't work… he'd make a great snack._


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four: Round Two! **

Gantoris slipped out of the Temple the next morning before almost anyone else was up. The one person awake was Luke. He silently followed Gantoris through the jungle, boots barely touching the jungle floor. The sun rose and the gas giant set as the two wound their way through the jungle, finally reaching a clearing.

Luke's eyes widened as he saw an obsidian temple in the middle of a large lake, with sides that were too smooth. A large chunk of it had been carved out, revealing the center and a large statue. Gantoris hopped over a series of stones to reach the temple. Luke hung back at the edge of the jungle, using the Force to amplify his vision while cloaking himself from Gantoris' senses.

The former leader pulled out a small cylinder from his belt and clicked it on, sending forth a violet-white plasma blade from it and startling Luke. _How did he get the knowledge to build one? I restricted that information!_

Gantoris swung his lightsaber around, batting away at clingy shadows that lurked too far from walls. He shouted incomprehensible phrases at them, shaking his fist in the air.

Luke ran to the edge of the lake and hopped across the lake, the soles of his boots not even getting wet. "Gantoris, wait!" he shouted, reaching the island shore in a few seconds. "Who are you fighting? There's no one else…" He skidded to a halt and looked about, feeling a sudden cold creep down his spine.

The trainee whirled about and pushed a button on the lightsaber's handle. Luke dodged to the right as Gantoris' blade doubled in length, nearly slicing him open from throat to tail. His own hilt sprang to his hand and ignited, allowing him to parry away Gantoris' wild thrusts. "Snap out of it!"

Gantoris' eyes widened and spittle flew from his mouth. "Keep back, Dark Man! You won't kill me! You won't!" He backpedaled, stumbling and gasping for breath. "Master Skywalker, help me!"

Luke got inside Gantoris' guard and grabbed his right shoulder with his free hand. He sought out the illusion clouding Gantoris' mind, but it was already fading. The lightsaber slipped form Gantoris' hands and clattered to the ground, the blade retracting back to the emitter plate. Luke then holstered his own lightsaber and placed his other hand on Gantoris' other shoulder. He locked eyes with the former colony leader and set up a mild telepathic link with him. "Gantoris, what is going on here?"

Gantoris looked around, his senses returning. "Master… where did you come from?"

Luke grimaced and motioned to the lake. "Come on, Gantoris. Let's go home. You'll find nothing here."

* * *

_Exar Kun roared as the two left. He was so close to ending the life of that Skywalker! Instead, Gantoris proved too weak to finish him off. He concentrated on maintaining his mind and realized he was growing weak. One of the shadows curved into a smile as he realized that Gantoris could serve one last purpose for the Sith Lord…_  
A low snarl escaped Gantoris' lips. "How dare you speak of my people! What will you do to them?" He leapt from his bed and stalked the shadow that clung to the wall. "You're here, not on Dantooine. There's nothing you can do to them."

* * *

Later that night

Exar Kun chuckled. "How pathetic. I have to do nothing." His silhouette brightened, showing an image of the colony on Dantooine-a colony dying as AT-AT walkers stalked through the grasslands, burning buildings and vaporizing the former residents of Eol Sha. The people Gantoris had sworn to protect…

A hoarse cry came from his lips as he ignited his lightsaber and attacked…

* * *

Luke's eyes snapped open and he quickly got out of bed. He motioned to his door and telekinetically opened it as Dorsk 81 approached it. The clone's eyes were wide with terror and his lips trembled. Luke sent calming thoughts to him, but he was terrified of… something.

He grabbed Luke's sleeve and tugged. "Come, come!" he half-yelled, leading Luke down the winding corridors. He quickly recognized where they were headed. His nose was assaulted by a sickly sweet stench, one all too familiar to him.

The rest of his students were gathered around the door to Gantoris' room. Tionne was clutching her stomach with one hand and had her other over her mouth. He pale skin was somehow even paler than before and green as grass. Dorsk 81 and Streen were off to the side, leaning against the wall. Even Kyle and Kirana Ti, the most hardened of the trainees, were visibly shaken.

Luke stepped into Gantoris' room and immediately saw why.

Gantoris-or what was left of him-lay on the floor. He was barely recognizable as himself. Most of his flesh had been burned away, revealing blackened and crumbling bone. His mouth was open in a wordless scream and his back was arched. And to his side lay a lightsaber, its casing blackened by the heat.

Luke walked over and knelt beside the body, reaching out and scanning it with the Force. He detected no residual Dark Side energies, no lingering traces that weren't Gantoris'. It almost disturbed him more not to find anything…

He looked over and up at his students. "Beware the Dark Side," was all he could say at first. He looked down at the body. "Please continue with your studies. I shall join you shortly."

As they dispersed, Luke sent Kieran a message through the Force to stay behind. The former Corsec detective lingered behind. "What the hell happened?" he asked, kneeling down and examining Gantoris' body with his eyes. "Did he… did he do this to himself?"

Luke shook his head. "I can't detect any other presence in this room, but I'm having suspicions. What can you tell me of his death?"

Kieran shook his head. "His fingers and ears are intact, and in this sort of death, they're the first to go. Same with clothing," he said, motioning to the charred shirt. He shuffled over. "So it's not external, which leaves internal." He looked up. "Can the Force do something like this?"

Luke held his hand over Gantoris' body. "Yes. Palpatine's death on board Death Star II was very violent. And during his offensive last year, I faced off against several Dark Side Acolytes. Each one met a very explosive end."

Kieran pursed his lips as he thought. "Maybe that's what happened here?" he asked. "I don't think anyone else here could've done it."

Luke straightened up. "No. It wasn't any of the other students." he sighed and looked about, his gaze darting around the room. "I sense something on the fringe of my awareness. I must consult the holocrons and meditate, after I see the others." He turned and exited the room. Kieran hesitated for a moment before following him.

"I'm guessing my forensics kit would prove useless, then," he asked.

Luke nodded. "Nothing physical touched him. And that's what worries me."

* * *

The next two weeks were somber ones as Gantoris' death lingered on everyone's mind and soul. Luke had learned of the Dantooine massacre, assuaging his fears somewhat-but not banishing them entirely. The shadows were darker, the days shorter.

He stood in the Grand Audience Chamber before his eleven students, holding a datapad and reading from it. "The rogue Admiral Daala attacked and massacred the colony on Dantooine. There we no survivors."

Kam, who was leaning against a stone support column, let out a breath. "Looks like Gantoris must've felt some sort of backlash from that. He became so angry it consumed him." He shook his head. "What a shame…"

Tionne shook her head from the bench she sat on, right in front of Luke. "I'm not sure about that. Dantooine's pretty far away, and we're not trained enough to sense that kind of stuff… Aren't we?"

Luke paced back and forth a bit. "On the _Millennium Falcon_, Obi-Wan Kenobi could sense the death cries of the whole of Alderaan. Then again, he was a fully-trained Jedi Master. And we were close to the system…" He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose before his head shot up. "We have a visitor."

The students assembled in the clearing in front of the Temple as a battered old CEC YT-1300 freighter landed, kicking up a cloud of dust. Luke let a smile drift across his mouth as the main hatch opened and the landing ramp extended, letting Han Solo, Chewbacca, General Wedge Antilles, Doctor Qwi Xux and a younger man with a pale face and slight slouch exit the ship. Luke walked up and gave his best friend a hug. "Well, nice to see you three here."

He turned and motioned to the younger man. "This is Kyp Durron, our newest student. He spent most of his life on Kessel, imprisoned there due to the old Empire's cruelty." He let the words sink into everyone's mind.

Kyp swallowed. "Teach me, Master Skywalker. Show me everything there is about being a Jedi."

Luke nodded and smiled. "All in due time, Kyp." He motioned to the rest of the students. "But first, you'll want to get settled in and meet the rest of the future Jedi." The six people walked down the ramp. "Kieran, please see to General Antilles and Doctor Xux."

The green-haired trainee nodded, keeping his face as straight as possible. "Sure thing, Master." He motioned to the Temple. "We have some lovely rooms with great views of the jungle, and others with not-so-great views of the jungle."

Wedge shook his head as they ascended. "'Kieran Halcyon'? Where did you get that name from?"

Kieran/Corran glanced back. "He's an ancestor of mine. Just don't tell anyone, all right?" They entered a turbolift and it began going up. "It still sounds a bit odd to me."

Qwi's feathery eyebrows furrowed. "You're here under an alias? Why?" Her eyes narrowed. "Are you in some sort of trouble?"

Kieran's jaw worked about. "No… If I was, I doubt I'd be here, actually." At Wedge's glare, he held up his hands. "Sorry, sorry. I'm here undercover for a variety of reasons, but just ask Wedge here. We're wing mates."

The turbolift doors opened and they disembarked, walking down the dimly-lit corridors. Wedge nodded as they approached a set of doors. "It's true. Corran-or Kieran-is one of the best people I've seen on a stick." Qwi smiled at him, and the General's cheeks reddened slightly.

They paused in front of a set of doors. "Here are your quarters, Doctor Xux. Not the most luxurious, but they should be all right until the _Falcon's_ ready tomorrow."

Qwi nodded. "Thank you, Mister Halcyon." She turned to Wedge. "I'll see you later, Mister Antilles."

Wedge got a rather goofy grin on his face as she entered her room. "Call me Wedge," he said as the door closed. He turned and saw Kieran rolling his eyes at him. "What?"

"Oh, nothing. Just wondering if it's something in the air. Noticed Luke at the landing field?"

The two fellow warriors walked down to another door. "He did have a bounce to his step, and he wore the light-black cape this time. Does he have a thing for someone?"

A smile blossomed on Kieran's face. "He's in love, but he doesn't know it. Probably not enough experience in the matter." He looked over. "You've known him longer, Wedge. Has he had any long-term relationships?"

Wedge thought for a moment. "Leia once Hutta-kissed him on Echo Base before Blizzard Force attacked."

Kieran paused as he digested that information, his jaw working a bit. "They're… brother and sister, right?"

"Yeah."

Silence reigned for a moment before, "Well, if you need anything, we've got an intercom system set up. Have a good night, Wedge." Wedge patted him on the shoulder before going in, leaving Kieran alone in the corridor. "That explains… _so_ much."

* * *

Han, Chewie and Luke walked down the corridors, simply talking and catching up. "He was on Kessel?" Luke asked.

Han nodded as they entered the cafeteria. "He was there since he was eight, Kid. Kessel would break almost anyone, but he survived it." He shook his head and smiled as they sat. "He kinda reminds me of myself, actually. A bit rough around the edges, but a diamond in the rough."

Luke smirked as Artoo wheeled over with a tray of sandwiches and a hunk of rare-cooked meat. "I sense great power in him, but it's muddled a bit. Probably just his time in Kessel hardening him a bit."

Chewie nodded as he bit into his hunk of meat. [Probably, Master Jedi. The young cub went through hell, after all. He seems eager and ready to learn.]

Luke took a few more bites of food. "It'd be interesting to see his reading on the Force paddles, and his interaction with the other students. He's the youngest one here, after all."

Han nodded. "Well, you take care of him, all right? He's grown a bit on me." He sighed, then leaned back in his chair. "No one deserved what happened to him-well, almost no one."

* * *

Kyp trailed behind Kirana Ti as the Dathomirian warrior showed him around the Great Temple. "We've spread out a bit amongst the Temple, each one choosing their own quarters based on their own personality." She stopped and turned to face the younger man. "See anything that interests you?"

He shrugged. "Not sure, but this whole place is stellar!" He swung his arms up, as if to encompass the whole moon. "I'm so glad Han and Chewie took me here. What Luke-I mean what Master Skywalker is doing is important. With scum like Daala around, the New Republic will need our support!" he said, bringing his arms back in and pounding one clenched fist into the open palm of the other.

Kirana Ti smiled at his enthusiasm. "Well, just as long as you get some rest tonight." her head whipped around as she sensed a familiar presence approaching. "Hello, Kieran," she said as the green-haired trainee came into view.

Kieran looked over at Kyp, then at Kirana. "Oh, hey… How's it going?" he asked, his voice trembling a bit.

Kyp's eyes darted from Kieran to Kirana. "Not bad. Are you okay?"

Kieran chuckled. "Yeah, I'm fine! Just great. Glad to hear it's going good for you. Gotta go!" And with that, he turned and walked back the way he came.

Kirana Ti's eyes narrowed. "If you'll excuse me," she said to Kyp before running down the hallway. Her gazelle-like legs allowed her to quickly reach the fleeing pilot. She grabbed him and spun him around. "And just what as that about?" she hissed through clenched teeth. "That was beyond rude, Kieran!"

A sudden gasp escaped her lips as she saw his eyes red and brimming with tears. "I-I'm sorry," he choked out. "It's just-he's from Kessel."

Kirana Ti let him go. "Yes, and?"

A sigh escaped his lips. "A few years ago-before the Hapes Consortium joined the New Republic-I participated in a rescue mission on Kessel. We tried to get as many people out as we could, but with limited resources, and there was a time constraint as well." He looked down to the stone floor, not willing or even able to look her in the eye.

A gentle coughing startled both of them. Kirana Ti went for her knife, while Kieran's hands went to his lightsaber. Kyp took a step back and held up his hands. "Whoa, whoa!"

Both slumped slightly. "How'd you do that?" Kieran asked. He suddenly stood up straight as he realized that Kyp might've overheard everything. He swallowed before stammering a bit. "Ah, list-listen. I'm-"

The younger man waved him off. "There's nothing to apologize for, Kieran," he said, smiling. "No way you could've known about me. I'm sorry you had to deal with Moruth Doole, though!"

A short bark of laughter came unbidden from Kieran. "He was a slimy little toad-literally." He suddenly extended his hand. "Welcome to the Jedi, Kyp."

Kyp nodded and grasped Kieran's hand. "Thanks. Glad to be aboard." He then looked at Kirana Ti. "So, now to find me a room."

Kirana Ti's eyes darted between the two. "Actually, it might be a good idea for you to show him around, Kieran." A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she walked off. "I shall see you later."

Kyp's head tilted slightly as she walked off. "She's… nice." He turned back to Kieran. "Is… she seeing anyone?"

Kieran's eyes almost rolled into the back of his head. "Something in the air. Gotta be…"

* * *

Kyp balanced on one hand, his entire body dripping with sweat. His legs poked into the air as three boulders hovered in the air near him. "Okay, Kieran," he muttered through clenched teeth. "Try and stop me from levitating you."

The Corellian sighed and crossed his arms. "Kyp, you know I don't have that much in the way of telekinesis. Maybe if Kyle shot me, I could stop you. Or I could make you _think_ you moved me. Would that work?"

The younger man shrugged, no small feat when you're upside down and balanced on only one hand. "Well, do something. Run around. Wave your hands."

Kieran sighed and began jogging around the dirt field. He only made it a couple of meters before his feet left the ground and he sailed into the air. "Whoa!" he shouted. "Not bad, Kyp!"

A shaky grin crossed Kyp's face as his eyes rolled a bit. "T-Thanks. Argh!" he screamed as he lowered Kieran to the ground. A half-second later, the three boulders crashed to the ground. Kyp also lost his balance and tumbled to the ground, but Kieran ran over and caught him.

"You all right?" he asked, concern in his voice as he helped him get to his feet.

Kyp groaned. "Guessed I pushed myself too hard there. Thanks, Kieran." He ran his fingers through his damp hair. "Thanks for looking out for me, too."

Kieran's eyebrows furrowed. "What?"

A sigh escaped Kyp's lips as he took a couple steps away before turning to face Kieran. "You didn't have to help me practice. And I know you feel guilty about Kessel. Lord knows why… but you do."

Kieran sighed. "I don't think you need the Force to sense it, either." He placed a hand on Kyp's shoulder. "Don't overexert yourself and kill yourself, all right? Training's good, but not at the expense of your health."

Kyp's gaze drifted to the gas giant hanging overhead. "But Kieran, there's so much for us to do out there! Daala's on the loose with her small fleet. Not to mention the holdouts like Carida." He spat out the last word like venom, and Kieran felt his rage flare for a moment.

Kieran patted him on the shoulder. "I know how you feel. They took your brother from me and my father from me. But we can't give in to hate or revenge. That path leads to the Dark Side. It leads to… Gantoris." A silence descended as both thought back on Luke's story about his father, and what he became. Chirping and rustling from the jungle were the only sounds for a moment.

Kyp finally sighed and his head drooped. "I wish I could've known him, actually."

Kieran's jaw worked a bit. "He was a bit arrogant, but he truly cared for his people. I'll miss him." He motioned to the Great Temple. "Come on, kid. Let's go get some lunch and I'll tell you some more about him."

A smile crossed Kyp's face. "Sure thing! Moving stuff with your mind can be really taxing, not like you'd know about that!" he said, smirking as he ran off.

Kieran rolled his eyes as he chased after the young man. "Kirana Ti's usually in the mess hall about this time of day!" he shouted, catching up as Kyp skidded to a halt.

Kyp swallowed and pulled a bit at his already-loose shirt. "She is? Why didn't you say so?" He took off again, his pace double what it was before. "I'm starving, now!"

The Corellian reached into his shirt and pulled out a small holo-projector hanging from a necklace. He thumbed it on and a translucent image of Mirax appeared. "I miss you, honey. And I love you." His gaze went up to the sky. "I'll be with you soon, Mirax. Just wait for me."

* * *

Kyp ran past Luke and Tionne, farther down the field. The silver-haired trainee had Luke's lightsaber in her relatively delicate hands and a piece of cloth over her eyes while he sat on the ground, legs drawn close and arms crossed with a gray cape draped on his shoulders. A single remote darted about Tionne, a small whine coming from the motor as it rotated around.

Tionne reached out with her senses, steadying herself and keeping her calm. She suddenly twisted around and brought the green blade down, deflecting a bolt aimed at her thigh. The split in her dress rode up a bit, exposing her leg and causing Luke to blush slightly.

A smirk crossed Tionne's lips as she sensed his slight embarrassment. "A problem, Master?" She twirled about, her silvery dress whirling about as she deflected another two bolts-but three more hit her, causing her to yelp in pain.

Luke bowed his head so she couldn't see his grin. "Keep your concentration on the remotes, Tionne." The grin quickly vanished as he reflected on the past few weeks. "Gantoris shouldn't have been able to feel the deaths of those on Dantooine. Too far, and he wasn't skilled enough. There has to be something else there."

Tionne reached out and telekinetically switched the remote to standby mode. The Elven Jedi deactivated her borrowed lightsaber and walked over to where Luke sat on the ground. She tossed the handle to him and it sped to his hand, landing in the palm of his prosthetic.

He got to his feet and looked over at the Great Temple. "Getting hungry?" he asked. "It's Kyle's turn to cook today."

Tionne's shoulders drooped. "Him? His stuff's too spicy! You don't try and kill the taste buds, at least." She began walking to the ancient edifice, with Luke trailing behind a bit before catching up. "So, you think the former tenant is still squatting?"

Luke's head darted about. "Possibly, but how? The amount of power needed to stay in this plane of existence for four thousand years? Not even Palpatine was capable of that." They entered the Temple and took a turbolift to the upper levels. They exited and walked down the corridor to the cafeteria.

The other trainees there stood up as Luke and Tionne entered. He rolled his eyes as he sat. Kyle entered, several trays floating behind him. His eyes were narrowed as he set each tray down. "Okay, everyone. Dig in!"

Kirana Ti handed her tray to Streen, who passed his to the arriving Kieran, who passed _his_ to Brakiss. Kyp, Tionne and Luke, meanwhile, merely dug in.

Kyle slumped into his seat. "Well, sorry I wasn't perfect with that!" He craned his neck and stretched his arms, popping his joints. "Man, I'm out of shape. I need to add some more exercises to my regimen."

Kirana Ti snorted. "Too much time blowing things up and not enough simple lifting? I highly doubt that." She began eating with great enthusiasm. "Delicious, Kyle!" she worked it around in her mouth a bit," But a bit bland. Spice it up a bit!"

Tionne's eyes threatened to roll into the back of her head, but Dorsk 81 spoke up. "Master Skywalker, do you have any idea when we might be going on missions? Our training seems to be going well."

Kyp perked up at that. "Yeah! Dorsk is right, Master. There's so much good we can do, and so much evil we can stop." He let a small growl loose. "So much evil…"

Luke put down his fork and locked eyes with Kyp. "Yes, but if we go out there half-cocked, we'll cause even more damage than what we're trying to prevent." He sighed. "From what I've gathered, the pre-Purge Order took in infants and trained them since before they could walk. And they also went out in pairs, a Master and apprentice."

Kyp shrugged. "Okay, so Kirana Ti and I go out and scout out where Daala is. Or Kieran and Brakiss check out Imperial strongholds in the Deep Core. We're all adults, here. And we've got the best teacher in Known Space."

Luke smiled at the sincere compliment, but shook his head. "Not yet, Kyp. I don't want you getting the half-completed education I did. I had to stumble through the most difficult parts with little to no help, and it wouldn't be fair to you if you got the same treatment."

The younger man stewed over Luke's words, but said nothing and continued eating.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five: A New Teacher **  
Kyp stayed up late that night, drawing upon the Force to keep himself fresh as he practiced his lessons and meditated. While everyone else slept, he readied himself for the day when he would go out into the galaxy and right wrongs. He still wasn't sure why Master Skywalker wouldn't let him go out yet. He _felt_ ready.

His senses recoiled when he brushed against an inky blackness at the edge of his perception. His head whirled around, his long, sweaty hair trailing. "Who's there? Who are you?" he called out.

The shadows seemed to bleed off the walls, coalescing into the vague shape of a humanoid, complete with flapping cape. A voice echoed from the center. _"The Force is strong in you, Kyp Durron. What are you doing here, wasting away on a jungle?"_

Kyp swallowed, but felt little fear. Kessel and an Imperial execution had bled most of his fear from his soul. "I'm training to be a Jedi, and to save the galaxy. What are you doing here?"

The shade laughed. _"I'm here to offer you a way to bring order to the galaxy in a_ much _shorter time, Kyp Durron. Your talent is wasted, but I can show you techniques lost throughout the ages."_

Kyp smirked. "There's always a price, though. Nothing's free. What's yours?"

_"All I ask is that you accept my teachings. Do that, and everything you've ever wanted will be yours. Order, peace, your brother…"_

Kyp's mouth went dry as he went to one shaky knee. "Teach me, please."

* * *

Kyp and Dorsk 81 walked along the jungle, the former moving as an automaton would. Insects buzzed about them, swarming around but never landing on Kyp's skin. Jungle plants moved out of his way, telekinetically shoved aside by his power.

Dorsk's lipless mouth quivered as he recognized where he and Kyp were heading. "Kyp, I don't like this. This is where Gantoris and I used to go. I'd fall asleep and have weird dreams." His head darted about as they cleared the jungle and approached the lake and the temple located at the center. "This feels wrong."

Kyp kept looking straight ahead so the clone couldn't see him roll his eyes. "Relax, Dorsk. We're all set here. And you've gotta learn to take risks! This isn't Khomm, where everything's planned." He began hopping across the lake, using the Force to determine where the stones beneath the water lay.

The green-skinned clone followed, his steps tentative. It took him a few more minutes than Kyp, but he made it. "I know that. This place is odd to me, Kyp. So many strange sounds and sensations." He wandered around the front of the temple, looking up at the tall statue of the Sith Lord. "Who was he?"

Kyp glanced up. "Someone very powerful." He wandered up to the front door and it swung open on squeaky hinges, surprising him. He walked in, followed by a shaky Dorsk 81. The walls seemed to glow bright as they entered, like lightning behind the glossy-black panels. Kyp ran his fingers along the walls, feeling ancient hieroglyphics carved into the ancient stone. Ancient hieroglyphics showing arcane Sith rituals, and the history of the Massassi people that built the temples.

A tiny insect landed on Dorsk's shoulder and stung him. The clone gasped, then tottered before slumping against a wall. Kyp caught him with a Force grip, making sure he didn't injure himself. A low chuckle came from his lips. "Pretty clever, there. Now he'll think it was an insect bite and some natural anesthetic." He turned back as the shadows bled off the walls, coalescing into a humanoid shape in the middle of the hall. "Exar Kun, I presume."

_"You presume correctly, Kyp Durron. Thank you for coming."_

Kyp knelt and sat down, getting somewhat relaxed. "You mentioned that I could save my brother and bring order and peace to the galaxy. How?"

The shade seemed to smile. _"Luke Skywalker has turned his back on much knowledge, Kyp. He has rejected the Dark Side, not knowing what powers it can bring him. Only by understanding both Light and Dark, can one truly grasp the true power of the Force. Before the betrayal of Ulic Qel-Droma, I was close to completing the true understanding."_ He waved an ethereal arm at Kyp. _"You can complete it in my stead."_

Kyp's mouth dried at the thought of all that power at his disposal. "Teach me, please."

And so Kun did.

* * *

Luke arose bright and early the next morning. Worry tinged his thoughts as he regarded Kyp and Dorsk. Neither had returned from the previous night and, although he knew they were alive through the Force, he did _not_ know where they spent the night.

He stood at the bottom of the steps and waited, arms crossed. Tionne and Kieran approached from behind, both with looks of worry on their faces. Kieran walked up to him. "They'll be all right. Kyp's a good kid, Luke. And Dorsk is cautious in the jungle."

Luke's eyes narrowed into ice chips as Kyp and Dorsk emerged from the jungle. "I was worried," he said. "The jungle can be dangerous, especially at night."

Kyp shrugged as he approached the three. "We camped out in one of the old temples." His head tilted up and he rubbed his chin over some stubble." Pretty nice place, actually. A lot better than this crumbling temple."

Tionne's mouth dropped in shock. "Kyp! That's uncalled for, young man." She stepped down to confront him, but felt Luke's hand on her bare shoulder and his voice in her head.

_No. There's something off, here. He doesn't feel right._

Tionne stepped back up as Kyp walked up the steps and Dorsk stumbled up. She caught Dorsk by the arm, steadying him. "Dorsk, what happened?"

The clone regained his balance. "I learned why I was falling asleep at that temple Gantoris and I used to visit. There was a bug there that stung me, and I fell asleep. Who knew?"

Kieran's jaw worked at that. "Specious evidence at best, there. Too much of a coincidence that each time you'd be stung." He glanced up as Kyp disappeared into the Temple. "I've got a funny feeling about this."

Luke turned, his light-black cape swishing behind him despite the lack of wind. "So do I, Kieran." He turned to Tionne, wondering for an instant how she was able to look so good so early in the morning… and wondering why he wondered that. "Tionne, gather all the information you can about Exar Kun. And about that temple I caught Gantoris at before… he passed on."

The Elven trainee's mind snapped into overtime as she sorted through the holocrons and which ones might contain information on him. "Sure thing, Luke. I'll get on it right away!"

He shook his head as he ascended the stairs. "No. You two get some breakfast, first. It's never a good idea to start your day on an empty stomach when you can help it." He suddenly glanced up. "We have a visitor."

Kieran looked up and saw a tiny dot silhouetted against the gas giant. "How do you do that?" he asked.

Tionne followed suit. "It's Luke," she stated, as if that would explain it all. She followed the dot, using the sensory enhancement taught to her by Bastila to see the vessel more clearly than Kieran. "It's a fighter, but I don't know what kind. Looks like an old-style X-wing."

Luke nodded and began walking down the stairs. "Keep an eye on Kyp, get some food and start researching. I've got an old friend to see." He felt them both walk in as the fighter, a Z-95 headhunter, flew through the sky and landed in front of him. A wry smile crossed his lips as the lithe pilot popped the canopy and jumped out sans the aid of a ladder. "Welcome, Mara. I was wondering when you'd show up."

Mara Jade, former Emperor's Hand, former imperial assassin and former smuggler, removed her helmet and held out her hand. "Nice to see you again, farmboy." She shook her head, letting her hair release itself from the dreaded 'helmet hair'. "Nice place you've got here. Any symbolism, or just a convenient place?"

Luke smiled and shook his head. "Maybe. This is where the Death Star died and the Rebel Alliance showed Known Space that evil would not win. So what brings you here?"

She walked around him, swiveling her head so as not to appear rude. "I thought I'd come by and pick up some pointers, see if it's worth it to stay and become a Jedi Knight." she turned and regarded him out of the corner of her eye. "So, will you take me on?"

Luke walked up the stairs, with Mara next to him. "I will, but remember, Mara. The path of the Jedi is a serious one. It takes commitment to the Light Side, and willingness to sacrifice yourself if necessary."

Mara nodded, her expression serious and her eyes narrowed. "I know, Luke. I won't just abandon this after a few days, but I'm not gonna be treated like a padawan. I've got some skills, after all."

The Jedi Master paused before the door. "Padawan?"

"Yeah. It's a term that meant trainee in the pre-Purge Order. I think it was a Caamasi word."

Luke held out his hand and opened the door for Mara. "Why didn't they just call them trainees or apprentices, then? Padawan sounds so… odd."

Mara shrugged. "Hey, how the hell should I know? I wasn't on their side… or alive at the time. Why didn't they allow marriage but encouraged one-night stands? Why couldn't they figure out Palpatine was a Sith Lord? A thousand questions and no answers."

He glanced back at her as they approached a turbolift and took it up to the cafeteria. "We have the answers, Mara. We just need the patience to find them." They entered and everyone looked up at them. "This is Mara Jade, former Emperor's Hand. She has come to study the ways of the Jedi with us."

Mara looked around, finally settling on Kam. "Hey, Kam. What's up?"

Kam's pale cheeks reddened slightly under his stubble. "Hey, Mara." He noted everyone staring at him. "We knew each other… back in the day."

Tionne bit her lip in order not to laugh. "You mean when you were under Palpatine's thrall." She stood and bowed to Mara. "Nice to meet you. I'm Tionne." She noted her proximity to Luke and felt a creeping heat along the back of her neck. _Why am I feeling this way?_

Mara smiled. "Nice to meet you." She looked up and down Tionne. "That dress seems a little ostentatious for a Jedi, don't you think?" Before Tionne could respond, Mara walked over to Kyle, waving. "Hey, Kyle! Nice to see you not in the swamps of Altyr V."

While Mara conversed with Kyle and Kam, catching up on old times, Tionne sat back down and listlessly chewed on her food. She noted Kyp's eyes on her and the heat was instantly replaced by the cold chill of death. _I've got one eye on you, Kyp, and another on the holocrons._

* * *

Tionne's fingers brushed against the strings of her double-viol while she tuned it. The afternoon sun shone down on her, freckling her pale face slightly. Kyle and Brakiss were dueling near the forest edge while Luke and Mara were talking about old times. Her gaze settled on the last pair as they talked and laughed. Mara threw her head back and patted Luke on his chest and Luke had a kilometer-wide grin on his face.

A small ire began growing in the pit of her stomach, growing slowly but steadily. Her silver eyes narrowed and her grip on her double-viol tightened. A sneer curled her red lips as she saw Mara with Luke. Why was he having so much fun with her?

"Tionne?"

He had fun before Mara showed up, but it wasn't with the redhead. He wasn't infatuated with Mara. He didn't even mention her name at all! Why was she monopolizing all of his time?

"Yavin IV to Tionne. Come in, Tionne!"

Two of the strings suddenly snapped, shocking her and causing a small gasp to come from her mouth. "Ah!" She looked up and over and saw Kieran and Brakiss standing over her, both looking concerned. "You all right?" Brakiss asked, a frown furrowing his normally smooth forehead.

Tionne sighed as both men sat down next to her. "Yes. No. Oh, I don't know!" She looked down at the broken strings. "Is it of the Dark Side to feel jealous, even though the object of your affection's not even involved with you?"

Brakiss and Kieran exchanged a knowing glance behind her back before Kieran spoke up. "It depends, Tionne. Do you feel like you want to snap this person's neck?"

Tionne's pale skin flushed. "No, no! It's a hypothetical question!" she said, waving her hands in front of her body. "It's not for me. It's… something I'm thinking of doing for a future lesson. For future students." She sensed their disbelief. "What? It's true!"

Brakiss shrugged. "If you say so." He cleared his throat and quickly changed the subject. "How's the research coming along? Kieran told me about it. Dig up anything interesting about Exar Kun?"

Tionne's silver eyes took on a faraway look as she dredged up information once locked away in holocrons. "He was one of the most powerful of the ancient Sith Lords, and was nearly unstoppable. Only Ulic Qel-Droma turning on him and the bombardment of Yavin IV ended his reign of terror." She drew her arms around herself and shivered slightly. "An evil, evil man."

She suddenly looked up as a shadow crossed over her. Tionne looked up and saw Luke standing there, a look of concern on his face. "Are you all right?" he asked. A few meters back, Mara stood with her hands on her hips and a look of annoyance.

Tionne swallowed and used a brief calming exercise to soothe her nerves a bit. "I'm fine, Luke. Just remembering some of the things about Exar Kun." She abruptly stood up, nearly bumping heads with Luke! "Oh, sorry… whoa!" Her eyes widened as she stumbled back on the steps.

Luke's hand shot out and telekinetically grabbed Tionne, preventing her from hitting the stone steps. "You all right?"

Tionne concentrated and levered herself up to a standing position with her own control of the Force. "Fine, Luke. Thanks." She hitched up her dress and bowed to Kieran and Brakiss. "I've got some research to do. Thanks, guys. See you all later." She turned and ran up the steps.

Luke watched her go and sighed. "Was it something I said?" he asked.

Kieran placed his hand over his mouth in order to stifle a smirk. "Men have been asking themselves that question since the beginning of time, Luke. Don't bother looking for an answer." He poked Brakiss and the two rose. "We're gonna look up Kyp and see if he's getting up before noontime."

Brakiss bowed his head slightly before the two men also left, leaving Luke alone with Mara. The redhead crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. "What's her problem?"

Luke straightened and turned to Mara. "Tionne has no 'problem', Mara. I've found her to be smart, and a lot more resilient than at first glance." He looked back at the Great Temple and the disappearing Kieran and Brakiss. "All of them must be, if they are to be Jedi."

* * *

_"Exar Kun's death was before my time, Tionne. I did meet Nomi Sunrider a few times, but neither Revan nor I dared broach the subject. I could feel the pain over his betrayal and eventual death radiating off of her, even if the subject was completely different."_ The hologram of Bastila Shan looked down slightly._ "I am sorry I cannot be of more help."_

Tionne scribbled down the last of her notes before looking up at the holocron on her desk and the image of Jedi Master Bastila Shan. "No problem, Bastila. Thanks for these meditation techniques. Kyle's gonna need these, I think," she said, stifling a giggle. She then cleared her throat and held the tip of her stylus to her lips. "So the Jedi of your time married, had families?"

Bastila nodded. _"Yes. You told me of the pre-Purge Order's ban on marriage and encouragement of 'one-night stands'." _Her eyes narrowed, making her look somewhat like Princess Leia in the holos. _"I'm not one to judge, being dead for almost four thousand years, but I can see little to no reason for any policy encouraging lust while discouraging deep, honest feelings like love!"_

Tionne held up her hand. "No arguments from me. I'm glad Luke's eschewed that particular rule, along with a shipload of others." An almost goofy smile crossed her mouth as she thought of him, a smile which did not go unnoticed.

_"This Luke, you have feelings for him?"_

Tionne's pale skin flushed crimson and she waved her hands in front of her face. "No, no! He's a good friend, that's all." She paused for a moment. "However… I do have some questions about the Jedi and romance-purely hypothetical, of course."

_"Of course. And what might those questions be?"_

The scholar organized her thoughts. "Well, how do you tell someone you love them? And would he know about it through reading your emotions, even if he doesn't intend to?" She paused, waiting for an answer.

Bastila smirked. _"The answer to your first question is different for every female in the galaxy, but each one must tell the object of their affections, or lose him forever. As for your second question, it's possible. It depends on how powerful your love interest is, and how well you can shield your emotions._ You _being purely general in usage, of course," _she clarified with a wink.

Tionne nodded. "Of course." She sighed and suddenly stretched, popping out her spine. "Three hours, and no conclusive proof one way or another if Exar Kun is still haunting this place… other than the bad feelings, Gantoris being incinerated and Kyp suddenly taking a 180 in personality." She swallowed and rubbed her eyes at the thought of her fallen friend. _We'll find out what happened, Gantoris. I swear it._ She glanced at the numerous other holocrons in the room, and ancient lightsabers. _I just don't know how._

* * *

Kieran ran up a flight of stairs, a slightly panting Brakiss trailing behind. "Come on, Brakiss! Get the durasteel out. The body's the tool of the mind, not just the vessel."

Brakiss gritted his teeth as he struggled to keep up. "Guess mine's a little rusty, then." He called out to Kieran as he rounded the stairwell. "Any sign of Kyp today, or is he still in his room?"

The green-haired Corellian stopped in his tracks and reached out, his eyes half-closing. "Still… in his room, I think."

"You think?"

Kieran shrugged. "He's kinda hard to pinpoint, exactly. It's like there are multiple shadows of him all around." His gaze fell to the side. "What happened to him? It's like he's a completely different person!" he locked eyes with Brakiss. "Brakiss, is this anything like… when you go Dark Side?"

Brakiss hesitated before speaking. "Somewhat. The Dark Side is corruptive, corrosive. It all becomes about yourself, and what you can do to maintain power over all. It usually also leads to increased aggressiveness and isolation."

Kieran nodded. "Just like Kyp." He turned-and jumped as he saw Kyp approaching from the hallway. "Kyp, just the man I wanted to see." He began walking to the younger man, but stopped when he saw he saw his eyes. "Dear gods…"

Kyp's darkened eyes flicked from Kieran to Brakiss. "What? Do you two have a problem?" A sneer turned up his lips. "What's your problem with me, Kieran? I thought we were friends!" He took a step forward. "Well, are we?"

Kieran held up his hands. "We are, Kyp. Brakiss and I-well, we're all concerned about you. You've been acting very odd the past few weeks, and-" His speech was cut off when Kyp's hand shot up and a _powerful_ telekinetic shove hit both him and Brakiss, throwing both men against the wall like rag dolls.

Kyp walked by them, his hand never wavering. "I'm sick of being told what to do, and what not to do! I'm more powerful than either of you combined!" A shadow fell across his face. "I'm more powerful than Skywalker himself. Why I'm here, I don't know!" he said, his voice rising as he pulled at his hair. He suddenly ran off down the stairs, the telekinetic shove finally letting go of Brakiss and Kieran.

Kieran shook his head. "We've gotta tell Luke, now!" He did a slight scan and quickly zeroed in on the Jedi Master. "I'll go get him."

Brakiss motioned to the stairs. "What about Kyp? We can't just let him do whatever he wants to!"

The Corellian shrugged. "You wanna go face him like that? No, way. We need Luke to stop him." He took off down the corridor, Brakiss finally following him after hesitating a bit.

* * *

Kyp ran into his room. "Exar Kun, I need your help! Please, tell me what to do!" He looked around as the shadows coalesced into a vaguely-humanoid form. "They're trying to stop me from saving the galaxy from the Empire!"

The shade wavered a bit before showing the image of the wind-swept world of Vortex. A gleaming cathedral of glass was shown, and a cross-shaped B-wing fighter crashing into it, killing dozens of avian Vors with the impact. The image faded out, and another world appeared-Mon Calamari. Kyp sank to the floor as he saw three familiar star destroyers pounding the surface, destroying floating city after floating city and sending each to the bottom of the ocean.

_"Each one could have been prevented, if Skywalker hadn't kept you on this moon. You have the power, Kyp, and the perfect vehicle to exact your vengeance against those who hurt you."_

Kyp nodded. "Yes, yes! The _Sun Crusher_!" His face fell. "But I don't know how to operate the resonance torpedo launchers, or some of the other systems. I can't stop Daala without it!"

The shade wavered again, this time showing another planet. A jungle world with space stations in orbit. _"Qui Xux is here, with all the knowledge you require. Go, and take it from her."_ The shade faded, splitting off and retreating to the far corners of the room.

Kyp nodded and got back to his feet. "I shall, Master. And I know just how to get there."

* * *

Luke grimaced as Kieran and Brakiss recounted their tale of Kyp's assault. "That's it. He's gone too far." He unclipped his lightsaber and strode out of his quarters, Kieran, Brakiss and Mara trailing behind.

His pace quickened as a tingly feeling crept down his spine. He broke into a dead run and quickly reached the outside and the landing field. His face fell as he saw Mara's Z-95 headhunter lifting off, Kyp at the controls. "No…"

Mara's jaw dropped. "My ship! He stole my ship!" She ran under the ship and shook her fist in the air. "I'll kill you! Get back down here, now!"

Kyle, Kirana Ti and Tionne quickly reached the landing field. The spec force operative pulled out his bryar pistol and aimed it at the headhunter. "One shot's all I'll need," he stated, taking careful aim.

Luke scowled and placed his hand on the pistol's muzzle. "No, Kyle! Not everything can be solved with a gun!"

Kyle's brow furrowed in genuine confusion. "It doesn't?" He shook his head. "Well, in this case, it could've!"

The Jedi Master's gaze drifted to the shadows. One stood out, human-shaped, darker than those surrounding it. "No, Kyle. Not in this case." he turned to face the shadow. _I know you're here, Exar Kun. And I'll oppose you every step of the way. On my life's blood, I will oppose _and _stop you._


	6. Chapter 6

**

* * *

**

Chapter Six: Shadows of Twilight

Luke's eyes narrowed as the last of his students, Streen and Dorsk 81, walked into the Grand Audience Chamber. He had called this meeting, but wasn't sure what to say. The walls, quite literally, had ears.

Kieran spoke up. "All right, so anyone wanna tell me how the hell Exar Kun's still floating around after 4,000 kriffin' years? I thought no one was that powerful. Hell, Palpatine sure wasn't!" He got up, his right hand waving about as he organized his thoughts. "And if it is Exar Kun, why the hell aren't we getting out of here posthaste? We're not ready to fight him! Let's just throw up a blockade around here. No ships coming in, no way for him to get out."

Kam shook his head. "We're the only ones who can fight him, Kieran. And even if we leave, that won't solve the problem. You can't quarantine the Dark Side. Kyp's already out there doing Force knows what with Force knows who. Palpatine's' influence reached across the galaxy and he wasn't as powerful as Kun was."

Luke nodded in agreement. "He's right. We make our stand here, but we won't stop training. We won't let him dictate the fight." He looked to the ceiling and shook his fist. "Do you hear, Exar Kun? You were beaten before, and now we'll finish the job!"

His voice echoed through the chamber, fading out after a minute. Tionne suppressed a shudder, while Streen's eyes went wide.

The old man jumped up. "I hear him! The shadows call out to us!" He looked around at everyone's faces. "Can't you hear them?" His gaze darted about to the dark corners of the chamber, as if waiting for something.

Kieran's head tilted and his eyes half-closed. "I… I can't hear anything," he said, almost apologetically. "Sorry, Streen."

The old prospector shook his head. "He's coming, and we won't be ready for him." His wild eyes swept the room, even taking in Luke. "None of us will be ready for him, mark my words!" he yelled, shaking a finger.

Mara's voice caught in her throat as she finally rose to her feet. "This is insane! If this is Exar Kun-and I'm still not convinced, there's no way he could be more powerful than Palpatine. And farmboy here _beat_ Palpatine," she said, waving to him. "I think we're overestimating him, and that's dangerous."

Tionne stood up. "And so is underestimating your enemy, Mara. I've done a lot of research on those ancient Sith Lords, and their powers and techniques dwarf Palpatine." Her eyes glanced to the side as she dredged up the countless bits of information she had learned from the holocrons. "There are many lost techniques and abilities, for both the Jedi _and_ the Sith."

The Jedi Master nodded. "With all I've learned, I know it's nothing compared to what's come before. We must make sure we _are_ ready for him when he comes, Mara. I don't intend to lose to Exar Kun. Not here, not now." He walked up to his students. "Talk is over, time for practice." His lightsaber ignited in his hand. "You must feel the Force flowing. It guides you, but don't surrender to its will completely. There's a reason we have the ability to reason…

* * *

Tionne stumbled to her room, her legs aching and her arms feeling like durasteel. Luke had taken her and the rest of the students and _worked_ them harder than before, drilling them in lightsaber use, meditation, even esoteric subjects like Jedi philosophy and history. A smile crossed her lips as she remembered him consulting her several times on details. _Kam didn't get consulted. I wonder why…_

Her head hit the pillow and her eyes closed. For about five minutes, Tionne slept. Then a cold shiver ran down her spine, like someone walking over her soul. She sat back up. "Who's there?" she shouted. "Exar Kun, is that you?" She waved her hand and the lamp next to her bed lit up two seconds later, allowing her silvery eyes to focus better.

Several of the shadows in the far corners of the room detached themselves from those recesses and oozed to the center of the room, coalescing into a vaguely humanoid shape. _"I sensed how difficult such a simple act was for you, Tionne. I can help you gain more power, more than you've ever dreamed of."_

Tionne's chin jutted forward in defiance. "I'm doing fine, thank you. I'm just a student, after all. I'll get better the longer I study the ways of the Jedi."

Exar Kun laughed, his voice echoing. _"Your limits have almost been reached, child. You're only half a Force user. You need the other half, the half of the Dark Side. Only then will your training be complete and all your dreams realized."_ His body rippled and an image of a strong, powerful Tionne was shown. She had on armor, a cape and a lightsaber in each hand. Her eyes were cold, and a sneer curled her wine-colored lips.

_"You could have it all, Tionne. Power, love,"_ the image expanded, showing Luke in obsidian-colored armor next to her. He had a leering grin as his eyes traveled up and down Tionne's lithe form. The real one shivered, but said nothing.

Exar finished. _"And of course, your past. That missing piece of yourself."_ The image rippled and was replaced by one of Tionne standing in front of a brick house with a thatch roof. The door opened…

Tionne covered her ears and closed her eyes. "No, stop it! I won't follow you! Your promises are empty, like yourself! Leave, Exar Kun! You'll find no disciples here!"

She gritted her teeth and waited for her insides to explode in fire, for her skin to sear. _Gantoris, was this how it was for you? I'll see you soon, then…_ After a minute, and then another one, her eyes opened slightly. She was amazed to find herself still there and relatively intact. She looked at the shadow in utter disbelief. "Aren't you… gonna kill me?"

Kun's shadow wavered. _"No, not now. I want you to watch your friends suffer before snuffing your pathetic life out."_ And with that, the shade broke apart, flowing back to the cracks in the walls.

Tionne stood there with her mouth open for several minutes. "That… was important."

* * *

_The minstrel rejected him, not even permitting him to feast on her soul. Ah, well. Kyp Durron was providing more than enough energy for him at the moment. And Daala's depredations were delicious appetizers to the main course._

And there were others here. Surely one of them would accept him.

* * *

Kirana snorted. "To be led by a dead male? Please! I won't go down the path of the Nightsister for you, Exar Kun."

* * *

Kieran waved him off. "I'll find Mirax by myself, Kun. I don't need your help with that." He sat down on his bed and stretched. "Do you mind? I need my sleep."

* * *

Kam's already hard gaze hardened even more. "I rejected the path of the Sith already, Exar Kun. You have no hold over me."

* * *

Brakiss shook his head and smiled rather sadly. "I left that part of my life behind me. It's got nothing for me now."

* * *

Kyle's hands cradled his bryar pistol. "I rejected that at Ruusan. I could've ruled the galaxy then. What makes you think I'll serve you?"

* * *

Streen waved his hands in front of him and paced about on the roof of the Great Temple. "Go away, go away! Your voice is too loud."

* * *

_Or maybe not…_

* * *

_Ithor_  
Kyp reached the jungle planet after only a few days in hyperspace. His heightened senses had allowed him to trim a significant amount of time off the journey as he skimmed star systems and rogue asteroids. The _Tafanda Bay_ acknowledged him and allowed him to dock in the orbiting city. The natives were easy to mind-trick, passive and too trusting.

He left Mara's-his headhunter in the docking bay and quickly homed in on Qwi Xux. A small part of him wondered if this was the right thing to do, but that lone voice was drowned out. _Take her knowledge! Take it form her so you can have sole possession of the sun crusher! Then and only then can you bring order and peace to the galaxy, as well as rescue your brother from Carida!_

He waited until she was alone in her cabin before approaching her. He telekinetically opened the door and saw her there in the main living area of her rather spacious cabin. "Kyp, how did you get here?" She smiled as he walked up to her, not suspecting a thing. "Well, it's good to-" She gasped as he raised his hand, silencing her and ripping some of the air from her lungs.

Kyp loomed over her as she dropped to her knees. "Give it to me, all that you know." His mind ached slightly as he received all the technical data from her, everything about the awesome weapon. After nearly an hour, he left her lying on the floor.

And only then would he permit himself a single tear.

* * *

Luke tossed and turned in his bed, dreams and visions flashing in his mind's eye as he sought his center.

_Massassi slaves struggled to build the great structures of Yavin IV, the original ones by Naga Sadow, and then expanded on by those run into the ground by Exar Kun. The orange gas giant shone above and Luke focused on it above all other things. It grew to encompass his whole range of vision.__gauntleted hands in front of his chest. "Such a young Order, and such vulnerable students. They will be the first of my new Sith army, but not the last."_

The gas giant's center turned black, and an enormous eyelid slid over it. The eye retracted, revealing a darkly handsome man with a Sith tattoo in the middle of his forehead. Exar Kun smiled and clasped his

His eyes burned with an internal fire as he walked up to Luke. "Are you sure you're up to the task of reforming the Order? You're young and ill-trained, Luke!" He held out his hands. "Why not let someone experienced take over?" He stepped forward, his eyes glittering. "You know I'm right…"

Luke stood firm, however. "No, no! I won't let you have them, Kun!" He ignited his lightsaber and threw off his cape. "I'll fight you to the last. And if I fall, I'll drag you down with me."

A low laugh came from the shade of the Sith Lord. "Highly unlikely, Skywalker. I've already taken Gantoris and Kyp Durron from you. Now who's next? Kieran? Kam? Tionne…" Kun's lips curled in a sneer as he noted Luke's reaction. "How typical."

Luke raised his blade high. "No, it ends now!" He swung at Kun, his blade traveling slowly and seeming to be mired in the air itself. He snarled-and the blade suddenly sped up, almost striking Kun…

* * *

Luke awoke with a startled cry, the sheets of his bed tangled around his legs. He wiped at the sweat in his eyes and got to his feet. He glanced out the window and felt Kyp out there-along with another, far more powerful presence. He grabbed his lightsaber while dashing out the room, not even bothering to put on a shirt or boots. He fired off quick messages to his students through the Force as he ran down, using the Force to also augment his leg speed.

He sprinted out to the airfield in front of the Great Temple, his mouth agape at the image before him. Kyp stood with his arms held up, the sun crusher descending through the atmosphere to land in front of the fallen Jedi. Black smoke twirled around his arms and body as the sun crusher landed, its quantum armor scoured clean by spending several months deep in the gas giant of Yavin.

Kyp turned his head to Luke. His head was cloaked in shadow, but Luke could see his eyes shining bright orange with veins running through them. He turned his entire body to Luke. "Well, 'Master'. It seems I've surpassed your pitiful little mass of knowledge of the Force, thanks to my new Master, Exar Kun."

Luke sighed and blinked. "Oh, Kyp… I've failed you." He ignited his lightsaber and strode forth. "Kyp, turn from Exar Kun. His promises are empty lies, nothing more. Please!"

Kyp's hands trembled ever so slightly. "No… no! He promised me I could find my brother and restore peace to the galaxy!" He aimed his hands at Luke and they crackled with pent-up power. "Stand down."

The Jedi master shook his head. "No, Kyp." he half-closed his eyes and concentrated as his former student fired off several bolts of onyx-tinted lightning, deflecting them harmlessly away. He advanced on Kyp before a powerful telekinetic wave slammed into him, sending his lightsaber from his hand and sending him skidding into the dirt.

Luke coughed, spitting up blood as he struggled to his elbows. He sat up and grimaced, spitting up even more blood. Pain was etched on his face as he got to his feet and held his lightsaber out. "No, no… you won't do this, Kyp. You won't…"

Another telekinetic shove hit him, sending him back down. Luke's eyes closed as pain washed over his body. They opened slightly, and he felt more than saw his students coming to him. "Stay… back…" he croaked out before the darkness overtook him. And he saw no more.

* * *

Tionne's restless sleep was interrupted by a mental shout from Luke. She shot out of bed, gasping, and got to her feet. She shrugged on a pair of socks and shoes before running out the door. Kieran, Kam, Kyle, Kirana and Mara were already ahead in the hall. "Wait up!" she cried. "What was that message about? What's going on?"

Kieran glanced back, his normally green hair jet-black in the hallway. "Damned if I know, Tionne! Come on!"

They were soon joined by Brakiss, Dorsk, Streen and the other trainees. The temple suddenly heaved and Tionne stumbled slightly, catching herself before she crashed into the wall. Brakiss wasn't so lucky and the young man rebounded off the stone wall. He grimaced, but kept silent as they finally reached the entrance.

Outside was lit by the gas giant Yavin IV orbited shone down, silhouetting the fallen form of Luke. Overhead, the sun crusher hovered on repulsorlift engines, its quantum armor hull shining in the light. Kieran broke from the group and ran up to the sun crusher. He looked up and waved his hands. "Kyp, don't do this! Come back to us, Kyp! Come back!"

His eyes narrowed and he focused on the tiny image of Kyp in the crusher's cockpit, using the Force to enhance his vision. The two locked eyes before the super weapon rose into the sky and disappeared.

Kieran glanced down and clenched his fist. "Kriff it, Kyp," he stammered out, his eyes closed to stop the tears. A sudden wail brought his attention back to Yavin IV.

Tionne was on the ground, her hands wrapped around Luke's prone form. "Luke, come back to me. Luke, don't do this. We need you… LUKE!!!" She let out a tearful sob and hugged him tightly, tears spilling from her silvery eyes.

Kam knelt down and gently separated Tionne's arms, allowing access to Luke's carotid artery. He placed two fingers against it. "He's alive!" he shouted. "Brakiss, Kyle, get something so we can carry him inside." He looked up at Kieran. "Kieran, get down to the comm center and contact Minister Organa Solo. Tell her… the truth."

Kieran nodded and ran to the Great Temple and up the steps even as Kyle and Brakiss ran down with a gurney from the relatively makeshift first aid station Luke had set up early in the Academy.

Tionne looked up as the two men approached. Kam placed a hand on her shoulder. "Tionne, let him go so we can help him."

She swallowed and unwrapped her arms from around him. "Sorry," she mumbled.

Kyle and Brakiss knelt at opposite ends of Luke's body, Kyle at his head and Brakiss at his feet. "Strap him down so he doesn't move," Kyle instructed.

Brakiss nodded as he and Kyle picked Luke up and placed him on the gurney before strapping him down. "Any reason why we don't have a hover version of this?" he groused.

The bearded Jedi smirked as they gently picked up Luke, each one using the Force to telekinetically smooth out any jolts. "Repulsor gurneys don't let you practice using the Force, Brakiss. Now let's go!"

* * *

_… It felt odd, to be floating in the air. Luke had done it at Dathomir, but that was while he was corporeal. He waved his arms around in an unsuccessful attempt to right himself. "What's going on?"_my _Jedi will stop you."__  
"And now it's my day, Kun," Luke said, pointing his thumb at himself. "Yours has passed."_

He looked down and saw his students clustered around his body. "Hey, I'm up here!" he shouted, even cupping his hands around his mouth. "I'm not dead! Kam? Kieran… Corran?" He saw Tionne wrap her arms around his neck and cry. "Tionne, I'm up here!" he sighed and kicked his legs. "Damn, how did Ben manage this?"

He glanced to the side and saw shadows swirling about, lightening and brightening into color and forming the shape of a human male. Luke instinctively balled his fists. "Exar Kun, I presume."

The ancient Sith Lord scowled. "Damn, your spirit was supposed to be obliterated so I could make your body my new home. Kyp must have held back." he floated over and sneered right in Luke's ethereal face. "Your Order has died before it's even begun, fool. I'll simply destroy your body and occupy another."

Luke reached out with the Force-and suddenly found himself right side up. "It will never happen, Kun. Kyp isn't yours, not fully. And he'll be stopped, just as you'll be stopped. The Jedi-

Kun sneered. "Small words from a half-trained Jedi. In my day you wouldn't have lasted two minutes."

Kun floated off, his form dissipating. "We shall see, 'Master' Skywalker. We shall see."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven: Damaged**  
The _Millennium Falcon_ landed a little over two days later to a very melancholy Academy. Kieran and Kam looked up as the dilapidated freighter as it extended landing legs and settled in the dirt landing field. Both could feel Leia onboard, her Force signature nearly as bright and as powerful as her brother's. Kam's eyes narrowed as he felt others aboard, including the twins Jacen and Jaina Solo.

The main hatch opened and Leia Organa Solo stepped down, her mouth a twitchy line and her eyes narrowed. She walked up to Kam. "Where is he?" she asked with no preamble.

Kam nodded and silently motioned to the Great Temple. Leia paused and waited while Han and Chewie disembarked, Jacen and Jaina in tow. A salmon-skinned Mon Calamari followed, her eyes rotating around and taking everything in.

Leia waited until Jaina was at her side before picking her daughter up. Han picked Jacen up and the family walked up to the Great Temple. "I'd like you to meet Cilghal," Leia said, motioning to the female Mon Cal. "We met during Admiral Daala's attack on her home, and she's exhibited several unusual powers of foresight. I was hoping to bring her to Luke sooner, but I had a few delays…" A sigh escaped her lips. "Stang it, if I was here-"

"You'd be like Luke too," Kam remarked. The group entered a turbolift and were whisked up to the Grand Audience Chamber, at the very top of the Great Temple. The last time Leia had been there, it was a time of celebration as the first Death Star had been destroyed. Now it was a somber place, quiet except for one voice.

Luke's body was laid out on a bier on the main stage, his chest rising and falling softly. An IV stand was set up next to him and a nutrient fluid dripped through a tube into his arm. Leia swallowed at the sight of her beloved brother, while Chewie groaned slightly and Han remained silent.

Tionne was sitting there next to him and was gripping his hand. Her silvery eyes were bloodshot and rimmed with dark patches. She looked up at the approach of Kam and Kieran. "No change," she whispered. "He's still... Gone."

Jaina jumped down from Han's arms and ran over to Luke. "What's Uncle Luke doing?" she asked. She cocked her head to the side and stuck out her lower lip. "He feels cold."

Leia choked back a sob. "He's sleeping, Jaya. Now come back, please." She held out her hand to her daughter, but Jaina didn't budge.

She leaned over Luke. "Maybe a kiss will wake him up!" She pecked his cheek, but the Jedi Master didn't move. She looked up as Han walked over and scooped her back into his arms. "He's very cold. Too cold! And are you his girlfriend?" she asked Tionne.

Tionne looked up and her mouth opened in shock. A squeak came out, but she regained her composure. "Well… no. I'm his student and his friend, but right now, that's all." She slowly put Luke's hand down and rose as Leia, Han, Chewie and Cilghal walked up to the bier. "I'm honored to meet you. I'm-"

"Tionne," Leia interrupted. "Luke's told me about you whenever he contacted us. You're one of his most promising students, from what he's told me." She held out her hand and smiled somewhat. "It's a pleasure to meet you, although I wish…it was under better circumstances," she sputtered out, her eyes traveling down to her brother's still form. She half-closed her eyes and reached out, desperately trying to connect with Luke through their familial bond. _Luke, what's happened to you? What did Kyp and this Exar Kun do?_

As if reading her mind, Han spoke up. "So what the hell happened to the kid? I got something about a Sith, and Kyp." He scratched his head. "Weren't the Sith all destroyed when I shot Palpatine and Brand… did that merge thing with his spirit?"

Tionne tilted her head to the side and regarded the roguish man. "Exar Kun was killed about four thousand years ago, but it seems he was able to bind his spirit to the moon. Now he's corrupted Kyp into becoming one of his followers." A shuddery sigh escaped her lips, and she looked back down at Luke. "I should've been able to do something more than stand there with my mouth hanging open."

Han waved her off. "Listen, kid. I've seen Luke do some pretty freaky stuff over the past few years, and he's a Master… or something like that. I doubt there was anything any of you could've done." He adjusted Jaina's position in his arms while walking up to her, his free hand extending to her. "There's no use dwelling on the past, believe me. We've just got to figure out how to help Luke and stop this guy."

He turned to Leia. "Sweetheart, Chewie and I are probably the only ones who can get through to Kyp. He's got a head-start on us, but nothing's faster than the _Falcon_. We can catch up with him."

Leia paused before stepping up to her husband. "Be… careful," she finally said. "Your children need their father, after all."

A wan smile crossed the smuggler's lips. He set Jaina down before embracing his wife and kissing her briefly. "Don't worry, sweetheart. We'll be back with Kyp in tow." He eventually separated from her before bending down and hugging his daughter. "Don't grow up on me before I get back."

Jaina wrapped her arms around her father's neck and squeezed, her young eyes wide. "Daddy…" she whimpered. "Don't go!"

Han patted her on the back. "I have to. Uncle Kyp's in trouble, Jaina, and Daddy's gotta bring him home before he does something bad." He shut his eyes, willing the tears to go away. "Just take care of your mother, all right? She gets into the worst trouble when I'm not around."

Han stood up and tugged down on his shirt. "Come on, Chewie, he said as he began walking to the aft turbolifts. Chewie barked and followed his honor brother out.

Leia watched as he and Chewie left before turning back to Luke. She walked up to his still body and sat down, taking his hand in her own. _He's still warm… but empty_. "Cilghal, do you have… any insight at all?"

The Mon Cal knelt down and placed her flippered hands onto Luke's chest. "No. I'm sorry, Leia but this is beyond the lessons you gave me before arrived here." She removed her hands and stood up. She turned to Tionne. "Has anything like this ever happened before?"

Tionne shook her head. "I've never found anything like this in my research." She turned away and her voice suddenly grew quiet. "I… I don't even know if his soul is still here, or if it went off into the Force."

Leia's eyes narrowed and she walked over to Tionne. She grabbed the silver-haired trainee by the shoulders and turned her around. "He's still here, Tionne." She placed a hand on her heart. "I feel him, _in here_. And we'll get him back, I promise you." She looked around and scooped Jaina and Jacen up in her arms. "And Luke wouldn't want us moping or anything like that. Kam, where did he leave you in training?"

A smile crossed his weathered features. "Well, let's see…"

* * *

_Luke nodded as he floated around. "That's right, Leia! I'm right here! Leia, LEIA!" he shouted, even cupping his hands over his mouth and leaning forward. "Damn, I'm not powerful enough." _

A shadow flitted next to him and dogged his every movement. "Why do you persist, whelp? You haven't the power or personal connection to any of them to contact those still in the physical plane."

The Jedi Master ignored Kun and continued, flying around Kieran and Kam while they practiced lightsaber combat. "Kieran-Corran! Come on, you've got to see me! Kam, remember our fight against Palpatine?" He groaned and then flew off to Leia and her children.

* * *

Kieran paused in his swing and looked at Kam. "Did you hear something?"

Kam shrugged. "Must've been the wind.

* * *

_Luke flew down the hallways, back in on Leia and the twins. He suddenly paused and flew back to an open doorway-the old briefing room. Inside, Tionne sat with several holocrons activated. Her silvery eyes flitted to each one as she jotted down notes. _

He entered the room and reached out. His hand touched Tionne's shoulder before passing through. "Tionne, please hear me…"

* * *

Tionne gasped and shot to her feet. She spun around. "Luke? Luke!" She looked around and stretched her senses in the Force to their absolute limits. Sweat beaded on her forehead before she broke into a run, dashing out the room and down the hall. "Leia, Leia he's here!"

She eventually ran outside, skidding to a halt near the landing field. Leia and Cilghal sat on the grassy field with Jacen and Jaina. "Leia, I felt him! Luke's still here!"

Jacen suddenly looked up and smiled. "Uncle Lukie!" he exclaimed, holding out his pudgy little arms. "Hold me?"

Leia gasped and followed her son's gaze skyward. "You can see Uncle Lukie?" she asked.

Jacen nodded. "Yeah! He says the Bad Man's here and wants to hurt everyone." His eyes narrowed as he looked up at his mother. "Why does he want to hurt anyone, Mommy? People should get along!"

Jaina blew a raspberry at him, causing him to tear up a bit. Leia sent soothing thoughts to Jacen while looking up. "Luke, I can't see you, but I know you're there. We'll beat Exar Kun and get you back!"

* * *

_Exar Kun shook his head. "Not if his body is destroyed, woman." He turned and flew off to the jungle, birds crying out in his wake and plants withering. "I knew I kept them alive for a reason…"_

* * *

Six bizarre creatures emerged from the Yavin jungle, flying out to the ancient ziggurat. Four thousand years ago, Exar Kun experimented on the native fauna, creating these monstrosities as a final defense. They slumbered for four millennia before his shade woke them up and instilled a single command into their primitive minds. _"Destroy Luke Skywalker's body."_

Kun watched as they flew off in the night, their leathery hides absorbing the feeble light being cast by the gas giant. _"I cannot have your body, Luke Skywalker, so neither will you!"_ His laugh echoed through the night as his creatures sailed on the wind to the Great Temple, his specter following them. _"And for some added insurance…"_

* * *

Kieran shot out of bed as a chill shot up his spine. "Mirax?" he whispered into the dead of night. He tore off the covers and shrugged on his socks and boots before taking his lightsaber in his hand. He ignited it and held it aloft, letting it drive away the shadows. A cold tingle shot down his spine, though, as he walked out the room.

His green eyes noted Brakiss and Kirana Ti emerging from their rooms, both dressed. "You felt it too," the Dathomirian Witch stated. Her sharp gaze went to the turbolift down the hall. "Come on!" she shouted before sprinting down the hallway.

Brakiss' eyes rolled as he and Kieran ran after her. "Why does she always do that?" he mumbled as they ran, entering the turbolift right behind her. He weathered a sharp glare from her as the car rose to the audience chamber, their feelings of dread rising along with it.

The car stopped and the doors started sliding open, only to get stuck halfway. Kirana grunted and grabbed the edge of the door with her gauntleted hands, shoving it open with a grunt. Almost immediately, all three trainees were buffeted by gale-force winds, knocking them back. "By the Force" Kirana shouted. "What magic is this?"

Brakiss held his arms up in front of his handsome face and raised a telekinetic shield. He stepped forward and to the right, blocking Kieran from the winds. "Come on!" he shouted. "Master Skywalker's in trouble out there!" He walked forward, taking one step at a time. When he cleared the alcove, what he saw horrified him.

Leia stood behind Streen, her white robe flapping in the wind. The old man had his eyes closed and arms up while he mumbled, telekinetically moving the air around in a vortex.

And in the center of that vortex floated Luke's body and his IV stand.

The turbolift door closed and then opened, allowing Tionne this time to exit. The silver-haired trainee gasped before running forward. "What the hell are you doing standing here?" she yelled. "Luke's gonna get killed up there!"

Kieran held out his arm, stopping her. "And if we charge in with no plan, he'll still die!" She unclipped a length of cord from her belt and quickly fashioned a lasso. "Kieran, distract Streen while I grab Luke. Tionne, you and Brakiss catch-" She stopped as Leia suddenly tackled Streen.

The old prospector went flying as Leia shoved him to the ground. She fell to the ground, but rolled with the impact and held up her hands as Luke suddenly plummeted. The princess held her hands up and the Jedi Master suddenly slowed, his descent stopping just before he would've hit the stone floor.

Kieran blinked as Luke settled back onto the bier, his IV stand right next to him. "Well, that was anti-climactic," he muttered.

Tionne's lips curled. "What, you _wanted_ him splattered all over the duracrete??!?" She shook her head and took a step forward. "Oh, Luke…"

Leia glanced over at the turbolifts as she struggled to keep Streen down. "Cilghal's coming… and she has my children."

As if on cue, the doors slid open and the salmon-colored Mon Cal padded out, the twins in her arms. "Mistress Leia, I was on my way here when I had this sudden urge to bring your children. I _am_ sorry, but I couldn't resist."

Streen wiggled out of Leia's grip while she was distracted, but Kirana tossed her lasso around him, pulling him to her, Kieran, Brakiss and Tionne. "Streen, wake up!" she shouted at the old man.

Streen looked over, his eyes wide with fright. "No, no! I have to stop the Dark Man. He'll kill us all!" He whipped his head around and pointed up at the skylights. "His minions come for us!"

Leia walked over to her brother, adjusting his body and re-hooking up the IV stand. "Streen, Luke's not the Dark Man. Exar Kun is!" she shouted. She knelt and tousled Luke's hair as Cilghal brought over Jacen and Jaina. "Are you all right?" she asked her brother. "Your nephew and niece are here."

A sudden screech from high above startled everyone. Leia glanced up and shot to her feet, her hands trembling ever so slightly. "Well… those are new."

Three of the Sith beasts perched on the edge of the skylight, their six heads snapping at the air. They attempted to force themselves through the hole in the roof, but the mindless beasts all went at once, wedging two of them in tight. The smallest was able to slip through, however, and dove for Luke.

Leia held her lightsaber high and planted her feet wide apart. "Cilghal, stay by my children if any of them get through-and that's a big if." She suddenly dodged to the side as the beast swooped down, claws grabbing at her head. "Hey, a little help here!"

Kieran started at that and held his lightsaber up, parallel to his body. "I've got a-"

A snarl from Kirana interrupted him. "Kieran, if you finish that sentence, I shall make sure there is _nothing_ for your wife to look forward when you rescue her. Am I clear?"

A cold sweat broke out on Kieran's forehead. "Crystal." He ran to Leia, his blade slashing at the beast's forearm, but the plasma blade was deflected back by its scales. "Oh, shavit…"

* * *

Leia backpedaled, her own lightsaber up and at the ready. One of the beasts advanced upon her, saliva dripping from its two mouths and jaws snapping at the air. Stark terror ran through her spine and down her stomach, but she did the quickest Jedi calming in galactic history and held her blade high. "Get away from my family," she snarled.

The beast snapped at the air, hesitating for a moment. Leia took the opportunity and jumped up, stabbing at one of the thing's heads. The plasma blade sliced through its jaw, leaving a smoking trail of burnt flesh. The beast reared back, the jaw on the left head sliding off and falling to the ground. The right head snarled but kept its distance from the Jedi Mistress.

Jacen looked around, his young eyes settling on the apparition of his uncle. "Uncle Luke… I'm scared," he whimpered. "What can I do to help Mommy?"

Luke floated closer and held out his hands. _"Let me help you, Jacen. Let me fight through you."_

Jacen let the shade enter him and his body shuddered slightly. His eyes closed for a moment before the reopened, aged four decades in an instant. Luke's lightsaber sprang to his hands and he ignited it, sending forth one more blade of light against the darkness.

He jumped past an astounded Cilghal, who could only stare with mouth agape. "Jacen-Jacen, come back here!" she shouted, holding up her hands and reaching for him.

The young toddler paid her no mind as he slashed at one of the beasts. He jumped up an impossible distance for one so young and small, flipping around and stabbing through the neck of the right head, decapitating it. He landed and held the blade in a high guard while the Sith beast tumbled back.

Kieran paused to stare at the child's incredible display of acrobatics and skill with the lightsaber. Leia had quickly left him behind as she fought the Sith beast, and Jacen had effectively crippled one of the others before wobbling and going back to Cilghal and Jaina. That left one more inside the Grand Audience Chamber and three more still outside. "Okay, where's our heavy hitters?" he asked himself, looking to the turbolifts in the back.

A sudden feeling of ice water dribbled down his spine as he felt the other three Sith beasts moving. He glanced up and saw three shadows at the skylights. He held his silvery plasma blade up as Kirana and Tionne stood by him. "You two stand back. I'm the only one with a weapon!"

Kirana brandished a knife as the other Sith beasts descended. "We have the Force, Kieran. And that will be enough against these things!" The beasts flapped their wings at her, rustling up her hair. A smirk crossed the warrior's lips. "Ah, but you're not the only one to be able to cause wind!"

She backed up and closed her eyes. Tionne glanced back as she chanted and made several motions with her hand. "Get ready, Kieran," she said. "There's a storm coming up!" She planted her feet wide apart and hunkered down even as stray gusts kicked her long, silvery hair up.

Kieran had barely a second to prepare before gale-force winds whirled about, hitting the Sith beasts and driving them back. Kieran stepped forward and tossed his lightsaber into the maelstrom. It shot like a spear at one of the beasts, piercing its eight-chambered heart and eviscerating it.

The beast hit one of the stone walls and slid down the gray edifice, leaving a trail of smoking, bubbling black blood in its wake. Kieran's lightsaber flew back into his hand on a gust of wind. "Thanks," he said to Kirana.

Tionne pointed up. "Yeah, but that's only one dead. There's five more and three of them aren't injured!" She stepped forward and gnashed her teeth, her lips curling up. "Useless, I'm just useless…" she muttered.

On the stage, Leia stood and frantically swung her lightsaber at several beasts. Jacen's burst of activity had helped, but his young body had been unable to keep up. She now stood her ground, protecting her family and friends. The beast with a missing head dove in at her, jaw wide open and acidic saliva dripping, for a suicide dive.

Leia suddenly ducked and grabbed Jacen and Jaina while shouting, "Cilghal, down!" as a missile flew in, hitting the beast in the chest and driving it up to the ceiling. The projectile exploded, ripping the beast apart and deafening everyone from the concussive blast. Bits and pieces of the beast rained down and a cloud of black smoke hung in the air.

Leia glanced back and saw Kyle and Mara standing there, the former with a rather large rail detonator and several other weapons hanging off various bandoliers and straps on his vest. And the latter had two heavy blaster pistols ready.

Kyle stepped forward and slid back the cocking mechanism on his weapon, loading another shell into the chamber. He calmly raised the weapon and sighted the next beast with one brown eye and smirked before squeezing off another round.

The next beast exploded as easily as the first. Mara dashed off to Leia, her blaster pistols firing off a dozen rounds each at one of the uninjured beasts. It slammed back and stumbled before sliding to the ground, ichors oozing from a dozen holes in its chest. "You all right?" she yelled.

Leia glanced back at the redhead as she swung and decapitated another Sith beast, lopping off both heads with one deft stroke. "Oh, fine," she said rather nonchalantly. She bent down and scooped up Jacen and Jaina. "It's all right," she cooed, projecting soothing thoughts into the bond she shared with her children. "Mommy's here and Uncle Luke's safe." She glanced down at Luke and sighed. "I recognize some of the stuff Jacen did. Looks like Luke's had a hand here."

Mara's brow wrinkled. "You sure? I can't feel him around. Maybe Jacen's got good legs for a toddler?"

Leia glared at her while Kyle finished off the final beast. When the smoke cleared and everyone's hearing returned, everyone gathered near Luke's body. Cilghal made some adjustments to his IV stand and bent over him. Her bottomless eyes swiveled around and her mouth opened for a few seconds before she spoke. "He's all right. No damage that I can feel to him."

Brakiss breathed out. "That was… too close." He turned to Streen and patted the old man on the shoulder. "It's not your fault. It was Exar Kun who made you bring the winds up."

Streen shrugged off Brakiss' hand and shuddered. He clutched his midsection and his face screwed up in anger. "No, no! He made me see… made me see Master Skywalker as the Dark Man, the one Gantoris feared! I thought…" He dropped to the ground and tears fell from his wrinkled eyes.

Tionne knelt next to him. "Exar Kun was one of the most powerful Sith Lords in history, Streen. He could make any of us do anything if he wanted to." her silvery eyes suddenly detected movement from the side, a flash of leathery brown…

Leia put Jacen and Jaina down as they fussed a bit in her arms. "You're right, Tionne." She stepped forward into the center of the trainees and looked up. "We won't be beat by the likes of you, Exar Kun! Send your-" She was interrupted when Tionne crashed into her back, sending them both tumbling to the ground as the wounded Sith beast lunged at the Jedi princess.

Kieran's lightsaber reactivated and he slashed off one head while Mara cut off the other. Both craniums went tumbling as the beast landed near the front pews. It twitched and spasmed before finally dying.

Leia scrambled to her feet and gasped out several times before her breathing and heart rate returned to normal. "Thanks," she said to Tionne.

Tionne rolled over onto her back and a manic grin crossed her face. "Oh, no problem! Anyone know how to get my heart rate below quadruple digits?"

Kieran bent over her and offered the pale-skinned lady a hand. "Just breathe in, out and imagine something even worse than this, so it pales in comparison," he quipped as he helped Tionne up.

Leia got to her feet and held out her hand to the student. "I owe you."

Tionne's pale cheeks flushed and she glanced down to the floor. "Oh… it's no problem!" she half-shouted, grasping Leia's hand and pumping it. "I'm just glad to help! You're important to Luke and it wouldn't do for him to wake up and find out his sister was eaten!" she gasped out, chuckling nervously and scratching the back of her head.

Mara hopped off the stage and kicked at the beast's corpse. "Sorry about that. I'm normally not that bad of a shot." She looked back up. "Oh, well. At least no one's dead."

Brakiss snorted. "Oh, yes. At least that. Next time aim a little better!"

The former Hand's nostrils flared and she _leapt_ onto the stage, clearing the three-meter edifice with augmentation from the Force. She marched over to Brakiss and jabbed at his chest. "Hey, I made a mistake! I said I was sorry, you pompous little-"

Tionne squeezed between the two and forced them apart, using a bit of telekinesis. "Enough!" she shouted. "We've got a Sith Lord breathing down our necks. We don't need to help him kill us!" She turned her head, glancing at the two. "Now shake hands."

Brakiss and Mara glared daggers at each other and they almost crushed each other's hand shaking, but they did stop arguing.

Tionne walked over to Leia. "We fought him off… but how do we stop him once and for all?" She glanced at the various corpses and hugged herself. "Next time… we won't be so fortunate."

Leia nodded and patted Tionne on her bare arm. "We'll find a way, Tionne. Palpatine was stopped, and so will Exar Kun."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: Death of Carida**  
_Carida System_  
The _Sun Crusher_ dropped out of hyperspace near the edge of the Carida System. The teardrop-shaped ship flew through space to the only inhabited world in the system, the resonance-torpedo launcher glowing and primed for firing.

Kyp sat hunched over the main control console in the cockpit and blinked. He shifted a bit in the acceleration couch and blinked away grit that had accumulated over several days of no sleep. The blackest depths of the Force sustained him now, courtesy of Exar Kun.

He watched a blue-green planet grow in size, eventually filling up the bottom portion of the viewport. His hands moved over to the comm system and he toggled a switch. "Carida," he croaked out. "I am Kyp Durron. Give me my brother or information as to his whereabouts and I won't cause your sun to go nova. You have one hour."

* * *

_Yavin IV_  
Tionne walked down to the turbolift cluster that morning, intent on a good breakfast. Her stomach growled, reminding her of the deadly battle last night that sapped her strength. The trip to the cafeteria provided her with some time to organize her thoughts and run through a quick refreshing exercise that Luke-Master Skywalker-had taught them before… before…

Tionne's eyes shut at the painful memory. _He's still alive, in body and soul._ The thought sustained her as the doors opened and she stepped out. Wondrous and varied smells assailed her nostrils and she breathed them in, her nose leading her on. "Oh… Kieran, thank you!" She plopped down into the first available seat and wiped the side of her mouth. She speared several chunks of meat and shoved them into her mouth, betraying her hunger.

Kam snorted and shook his head at her eating. "Don't forget to breathe," he said between bites. A smirk crossed his lips, but he winced in pain as Kieran smacked him on the back of his head. "Ow!"

Kieran sat down across from Brakiss. "She did more last night than you did, as I recall. Saved Leia's life and kept us steady. Definitely worked up an appetite." he took a bite of his cooking and chewed thoughtfully on it. "We'd better be on guard. Who knows what that freak Sith cooked up last night?" He looked down at his food. "No pun intended, of course."

Dorsk 81 popped several nutrient cubes into his mouth. "Of course." He turned his eyes to the twins. "They seem to be doing better than most of us."

Jacen and Jaina were strapped into seats salvaged from old starfighters and converted into high chairs. Jacen waved his pudgy arms around. "No strained beets!" he wailed. "Want chocolate!"

Leia set her mouth and held up a spoonful of red goo. "Jacen Bail Solo, you're going to eat this food! It'll help you grow up and become a strong Jedi like Uncle Luke." she waved it in front of him. "Come on, hon." She smiled as he opened his mouth. "That's a good boy!'

Jaina slammed her tiny little fists into the table, splattering her food around with a little assistance from the Force. A tiny little smile crossed her mouth as she splattered food on her mouth. "Makeup!" she cried out. "Wearing makeup!"

Leia sighed and wiped her mouth and cheeks. "Jaina, eat your food. Don't wear it. And you're too young for makeup anyway." She paused. "But one day, you won't be too young. And then what'll I do?"

* * *

_Carida_  
Ambassador Furgan walked into Carida Academy's main citadel. "What's going on?" he complained. "I'm right in the middle of a holo-cast that's speculating on when Mon Mothma will die! Can't this wait?"

A stormtrooper looked up, his skull-like helmet glittering in the muted lights. "Sir, a Kyp Durron has arrived and is threatening to destroy the Carida System. Scans indicate he's got the _Sun Crusher_."

Furgan groaned, but his expression changed. "Oh, perfect timing! We can capture it and use it in the capture of the Solo brat." He pushed his way to the comm station and leaned over. Fat fingers grabbed the mike and he bent it to his mouth. "I say, let us have the _Sun Crusher_ and we'll let you go, Mister Durron. Come on, be reasonable. We outnumber you by a substantial margin."

The stormtrooper wavered a bit. "Sir, the _Sun Crusher_ can ram through the bridge of a star destroyer with no damage. What can our ships and TIE fighters do?"

Furgan shrugged. "Crowd him? Get him ensnared by tractor beams? Just figure someone out!" he shouted, waving the stormtrooper off.

* * *

Tionne walked over to Leia on her way to the recycling unit. "Wouldn't it be a good idea to get Jacen and Jaina off Yavin IV while battling Exar Kun?" she asked, pausing with her dirty dishes.

Leia glanced over from wiping Jaina's mouth. "I appreciate your concern, Tionne, but I don't think anywhere else is as safe as with me. I'll die before I let anyone harm them," she half-whispered, her eyes glinting dangerously.

The silver-haired trainee took a step back from Leia before maneuvering her way around. "Okay…" Her knuckles turned white as she tightened the grip on her dishes. Tionne made her way to the recycling unit and placed the dishes inside and closed the rectangular device.

Streen pushed his food around on his plate, his mouth spilling out words. "Here or not here can't tell so much darkness and can't-" He stopped as he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked over at the man standing over him "Kam?"

Kam smiled sadly. "He's not here, Streen. Eat up, friend. And don't think of too much for now."

* * *

Kyp leaned back and chortled as pitiful laser fire from the scores of TIE fighters washed over his ship. "This is your final warning!" he shouted into the microphone. "Give me my brother back NOW!"

A voice came over the speakers. "We've found information on Zeth Durron. It appears… he died during training exercises. It should be noted that he made sure other cadets lives were saved before passing on. Hello?"

Kyp's eyes closed and he tilted his head back before letting out a bloodcurdling cry of despair. He banged on the console in front of him, denting it and warping the durasteel casing. "My brother died?" he spat out. "He's dead? Then so are you!"

The ventral torpedo launcher on the _Sun Crusher_ glowed a brilliant white before a ball of flame shot out from it. The resonance torpedo sped unerringly to Carida's primary, disappearing against the brightness.

* * *

The stormtrooper captain turned to a rapidly-paling Furgan. "Sir, we have a problem."

Furgan swallowed heavily, his feet shuffling as he inched his way to the door. "Yes, I see we do. Well, I was planning on personally leading the capture of young Solo. Carry on, Captain!" and with that, the corpulent and cowardly ambassador dashed out, leaving a control citadel that was rapidly dissolving into chaos.

A file clerk ran up to the captain with a datapad in his hands. "Sir, you might wanna see this. Turns out his brother's alive."

* * *

Kyp leaned back and chuckled as several dozen vessels left Carida's surface and left the system, including an old-style dreadnaught. "Run, but know how many will die," he uttered, "like my brother, you bastards."

Only twenty minutes after the resonance torpedo, the star was already showing signs of instability. Huge solar flares leapt form its surface, and sunspots appeared and disappeared at random. The total diameter had even shrunk somewhat.

The comm system crackled to life. "Wait!" a static-laced voice shouted, startling him. "Your brother is alive! Please, stop the nova!"

* * *

Tionne sat next to Luke, legs crossed under her as she checked his IV and wiped his forehead. "Leia's gonna show us some of the things she learned while you two fought the cloned Emperor. Nothing too advanced, just some meditation." She sighed and leaned back, her eyes drifting to the skylight. "I wish it was you teaching us-not that I didn't like Leia doing it!" she sputtered out, waving her hands.

She looked to Luke and for a moment imagined he was merely sleeping. Tionne reached out with her senses and confirmed no one corporeal was around before leaning over and tousling his hair a bit. She reared back quickly, head darting about as ice dripped down her spine. "Who's there?" she shouted, bolting to her feet. "Show yourself, Exar Kun!"

Her voice echoed in the empty chamber and the ice slowly warmed. Tionne sat back down, silver eyes glancing about and senses on high.

* * *

Kyp urged his brother on as the older man ran to the _Sun Crusher_. "Come on!" he yelled, banging on the console. He could make out a red gash on Zeth's forehead as he drew closer, a wound suffered from the traitorous stormtrooper captain. Kyp reached out and grabbed the airlock controls…

… And the sun exploded, ripping the entire Carida System apart. Zeth was flash-vaporized before Kyp's wide eyes, along with the rest of the planet. The _Sun Crusher_ was tossed about by the massive shockwave, but it was a stiff breeze compared to the inner turmoil in Kyp's soul.

* * *

"… Answer me, Tionne!"

Tionne's eyes fluttered open and a groan escaped her lips. Her vision swam before the multiple images before her coalesced into Kieran and Kyle. "W-what happened?"

The two reached down and each grabbed a hand, helping Tionne to her rather shaky feet. "We all got hit by something bad," Kieran said. "Jacen and Jaina cried for twenty minutes before Leia could calm them down."

Tionne's mouth opened, but Kyle spoke up. "You were unconscious for thirty minutes, but don't worry. Kam's even groggier than you."

Kieran glanced to the turbolift cluster as he spoke. "Leia's down in the comm center talking to The Provisional Council. Long-range scouts have reported a… disturbance at the Carida System."

Kyle nodded, his frown ruffling his beard. "Don't be soft, Kieran. There's no Carida System anymore. The sun went nova."

A sharp breath from the Elven Jedi Master punctuated the silence that followed. _Kyp_, she thought. "What does this mean?" she whispered.

Kieran's green eyes hardened. "Tonight, we're holding a council of war in the old war room. Exar Kun's feeding on Kyp and feeding his desires. We have to break the cycle, and as soon as possible."

Tionne straightened up. "I'll be ready." She surreptitiously glanced down at Luke. _I hope._

* * *

Leia's hand waved and several glow lamps turned on, bathing the war room of the Great Temple in an ethereal light and driving away some of the shadows. The rest of the trainees sat in a semi-circle, with Cilghal holding onto the twins.

Mara's red hair seemed almost alive as the light flickered on it. "So what do we do?" she asked, her voice carrying through the group. "How do we stop Exar Kun?"

Kyle let out a sigh and his shoulders sagged as he sat on a dusty old stool. "I can't blow it up, so I'm out of ideas. Although what would happen if I blew up his temple?"

Kieran let out a snort. "Might not be a bad idea, actually. Deny him his place of power and rest and it'll be a huge blow to him." He straightened up. "I'll do it."

A chuckle came from Kyle's lips. "You? No offense, Kieran, but I'm the weapons guy among us. How much experience do you have with explosives, precisely?"

"More than you know, Kyle."

A sharp cough from Leia brought the two men back from their argument. "That's all well and good, but what about stopping him? That won't." The Minister began pacing back and forth, hands clasped behind her back. "We have to block him, cut him off. But how?" She stopped short and her piercing gaze swept the room. "Does anyone have any ideas?"

Tionne cleared her throat and everyone turned to her. She flushed red and summoned her courage before speaking. "Well, when Exar Kun was defeated the last time, it was merely his body that was destroyed. And it took drawing upon all of his slaves and the jungle to bind his body to this moon. Now, all he has is whatever power he's been able to conserve. If we work together, we can…" She hesitated, trying to dredge up the proper words. "I don't know, stop him? Exorcise him?"

Leia paused and nodded, a smile forming slowly on her face. "Stronger together, Tionne. Of course!" She balled up her right hand and smacked it into the open palm of her left for emphasis. "Together, we can confront him and beat him. I know it!"

Brakiss spoke up, uncertainty playing over his face. "Are you sure? He's a fully-trained Dark Lord of the Sith that the Order at its height couldn't defeat. And we are-"

"A team," Kieran said, interrupting him. "And all he is, is a literal shadow of his former self. We can take him, everyone!"

Mara pumped her fist, a smirk on her lips. "Kieran's right! The Sith work by dividing and conquering. Together, we can stand against this poser." Her eyes flashed in the soft light, casting a predatory air about the lithe Jedi.

Leia nodded. "Then it's set, but we need a way to fully draw him out. Any suggestions?" she asked, looking around the room.

Tionne spoke up. "Actually… I think one of us should be with Master Skywalker, in order to draw him out. I volunteer for that duty." Her silvery eyes flickered about and her nervousness was palpable, but she kept a smile on her face.

There was a moment's pause before, "No, child. I shall do it." Everyone turned and saw Streen, almost engulfed by the shadows. A wan smile was on his weathered face as he stepped forward. "I must redeem myself, and I am the one Exar Kun fears the least. It shall be me."

Kieran patted Streen on the shoulder, a rather tender expression on his face. "We'll back you up all the way, Streen. You won't be alone in there." He turned to everyone. "I suggest we all get a good night sleep so we'll be rested and recharged for tomorrow. And I can set out for Exar Kun's Temple with the explosives."

Everyone murmured their agreement and walked out, their heads held high. Leia waited for Cilghal to walk up with Jacen and Jaina before leaving the old war room. She gladly took the squirming children out of the Mon Cal's arms and nuzzled them close.

"Uncle Luke will be just fine," she reassured them. "You'll see."

* * *

_Deep Space, the_ Millennium Falcon  
Chewie's head remained straight as Han entered the cockpit. [We found him,] he barked out. A furry finger pointed at a display, showing a tiny craft 10,000 kilometers away. [Now what do we do?]

Han slid into the pilot's chair as the systems powered up. "Talk to him and hope he doesn't feel like shooting." He activated the comm and sent out a broadband message on all frequencies. "Kyp, power down your engines. It's Han and Chewie. Remember us, your friends?"

The voice that came over… sounded like Kyp, but to Han's ear, things were missing. "Go away, Han. I have work to do. The Empire must be defeated, at all costs!"

The two old friends exchanged a glance before Han spoke into the microphone again. "Kid, come back to us. You're over the deep end, but we can help you out! It's not you, it's that nuts Sith Lord Exar Kun that-"

"DO NOT SPEAK OF HIM IN THAT MANNER!!!" Kyp raged before the _Sun Crusher_ accelerated to the _Falcon_. The tiny point of light expanded into a rainbow-hued sliver of a ship, rapidly growing into the familiar engine of destruction.

Han gulped. "Kyp… please! This isn't like you. Come on, kid. Think back. Try and remember. It's me, Han Solo. And Chewie's right beside me. Remember when we busted out of Kessel, or the fun we had on Coruscant? We won't hurt you, Kyp. We just want to help you."

All the while he talked, Han edged the _Falcon_ forward on thrusters, creeping closer to the _Sun Crusher_. Chewie powered up the tractor beam and kept a steady lock on it. [What happens if this fails?]

"I've forgotten more about flying than Kyp will ever know," Han whispered. "And we're not a stationary target like a star. I'll bet my pension I can out fly a resonance torpedo."

Kyp's voice came over again, sounding lost. "Han… I don't know. I don't know what I'm doing out here anymore. I blew up Carida and I thought it would make me feel better… but it didn't." His voice sounded small and tinny, as if he wasn't all there.

Han licked his lips. "Kyp, we can help you. Let us dock and-"

"No, stay back!" Kyp yelled. "I'm warning you, Han." And to punctuate his point, the _Sun Crusher's_ ventral torpedo launcher started glowing and swiveling to the _Falcon_. "Don't make me fire."

Han snarled. "If you fire, it'll be you pulling the trigger, but I bet you won't. I know you Kyp. And I know you won't kill me and Chewie."

[You hope.]

Han flashed his best friend a lopsided grin. "No, I know."

* * *

_Yavin IV_  
The old hermit sat next to the Jedi Master, eyes closed and lightsaber on his lap. His lips moved in a soundless railing against the darkness, inside and outside. Finally his eyes snapped open and he stood up, his old knees creaking. "Show yourself," he croaked out.

The shadows clinging to the edges of the rooms sloughed off, moving to the center of the Grand Audience Chamber and coalescing into a human shape. _"You are mine, Streen,"_ Exar Kun intoned, his voice reverberating as his body almost solidified. _"You will be the next of my new disciples."_

Streen's wrinkled mouth turned up. "No, I won't." He flicked on the lightsaber, sending forth a green plasma blade. "You've sealed your fate, here."

A booming laugh emanated from the shade. _"Remember Gantoris, fool? What can that do to the most powerful Dark Lord of the Sith in history?"_

"He's not alone," Leia said, emerging from the back of the chamber with Jacen and Jaina in her arms. "All your power, and you couldn't even sense us in back? For shame!"

Jacen looked up at the Sith Lord and shook his head. "Go away, bad man!"

Other Jedi trainees walked forward, surrounding Exar Kun. "Time for you to finish your journey," Kam said. "The Dark Side is waiting to claim your soul in the Madness Beyond Death."

Exar's form rippled slightly, but he paid it no mind. _"Ah, one of the traitors to the Dark Side. Skywalker seemed to gather the castoffs and other failures."_

A wry smile crossed Kam's lips. "Our only failure was not seeing the Light sooner. A shame you won't be in its brilliance."

Brakiss glanced up, a slight glow on his robes. "We've all learned, Exar Kun, not to underestimate the true power of the Force-the Light Side of the Force."

Exar Kun's body faded slightly even as everyone's body glowed in the midday light streaming in from the Temple's skylights. His form darted about, but seemed unwilling-or unable-to leave. _"I shall make you gods among the galaxy! Join me or perish!"_

Tionne smiled slightly. "We shall do neither. Instead, I shall write songs about this day, the day one more Sith Lord was defeated."

By now everyone's body was glowing. Three forms appeared at the edge of the circle even as Exar Kun's body wavered. There was still power in him, though, as wind whipped about inside the chamber. Everyone gasped as the breath was stolen from their lungs, but a simple incantation from Kirana Ti restored it to their bodies.

Dorsk 81 gasped as the first form gained shape and features, appearing as his friend and former colony leader Gantoris. _"Dark Man, you killed me. Now I make sure no one else is harmed by you,"_ he intoned.

The second one wasn't human or even humanoid, but rather an insectoid Krevaaki by the name of Vodo-Siosk Baas, Exar Kun's former Jedi Master. His mouth tentacles quivered slightly and his solid-black eyes bore into the shade of his former student. _"Exar Kun, now it is time. I regret what has happened to you, but this was your own choosing."_

Tionne's eyes almost burst from their sockets when the final form turned into Luke. The Jedi Master smiled at his students. _"You've done well. Now, one final test. How do you extinguish the shadows?"_

Cilghal stepped forward, Gantoris' lightsaber clasped in her webbed hands. "You shine light upon it," she said, igniting it and crossing it with the one Streen held.

The two plasma blades met in the center, slicing through Exar Kun's form. The shadows were ripped apart and a final scream echoed in the chamber, tearing at everyone's soul as Exar Kun was finally banished from this plane of existence.

Leia gasped. "Luke!" she shouted, half-running to the stage with her brother's body. A body that was now stirring. She ran over and up the steps, a smile on her face. "I told you Uncle Luke would be all right!" she said to the twins.

Tionne, meanwhile, ran straight for the edge of the stage and jumped up, using the Force to augment her leg strength. Even as he got to his wobbly feet, she threw her arms around him, pulling him in. "Oh, thank the Force!" she cried out, her silvery eyes wide and a grin running from ear to ear. She pulled back slightly, only to dart in-and kiss him firmly on the lips.

Leia skidded to a halt and silence reigned as Tionne pressed her lips to Luke's. she finally pulled back, her grin fading as she sensed confusion from him. "Oh, I'm sorry… I-I didn't mean to…" She broke from him and jumped down, threading her way through the group of trainees to the turbolifts in the back.

Luke stood there, mouth slightly agape and a confused look in his eyes. "What just-"

"Go to her!" Brakiss shouted from below.

Leia nodded, a smirk on her face. "Luke, she loves you. Now don't let her slip out of your hands. We all know you're a little groggy from being a ghost for a few weeks, but that's no excuse." She walked up to him. "I nearly let Han slip through my fingers. Don't make the mistake we almost did."

The Jedi Master nodded slightly before jumping off the stage and running for the turbolifts, his senses already tracking the silver-haired beauty. _Wait for me, Tionne. I'm coming for you._

* * *

Luke ran into the turbolifts and telekinetically closed them already homing in on Tionne's unique signature. The car went down two levels before stopping and opening up, allowing Luke to dash out down the hallway.

He found Tionne down the first intersection on the right. She stood with her back to him, left arm straight out and hand pressed open-palm against the grayish stone wall. Her head rose slightly as he approached. "I didn't mean to-"

"Yes you did," he interrupted, walking up to her. He reached out with his prosthetic, keeping it mere centimeters from her shoulder. "And I'm actually glad you took the first step, Tionne."

The silver-haired trainee straightened up, her head turning slightly to Luke. Even from the oblique angle, Luke saw confusion in her eyes. "You are?"

A grin crossed Luke's mouth as he touched Tionne's shoulder, gently pulling her around to face him. "Let's say I'm not well-versed when it comes to women," he admitted, his grin turning sheepish. "I did fall for my sister, after all."

Tionne shrugged at that, her lips quirking up. "Well, not like you know when she Hutta-kissed you on Hoth."

Luke balked. "You knew about that?"

"Oh, yes. Keiran told all of us that when General Antilles told _him_ about it." Her smile took on a mischievous air. "Must've been a bit odd learning that." She swallowed and sobered up. "I'm just not sure this is right. We're student and teacher, so-"

"After today, I'd say you've moved on from trainee to Knight," Luke said. "All of you have demonstrated you have what it takes to use the Force, and how to use it"

Tionne swallowed. "So that would mean…"

The Jedi Master stepped forward, cupping her chin in his hand. Both could feel the other's breath and hear their heartbeats thudding in their ears. Finally, Luke grabbed Tionne's shoulders as she tilted her head up, capturing his mouth with hers. Their presence in the Force mingled as Luke brought his hand up and brushed Tionne's hair.

They broke off, Tionne blinking rapidly. "That was…" she brought her hand to her lips, eyes glancing downward, "incredible."

A shy grin crossed Luke's face and he held out his left hand. "Yeah." He suddenly glanced up, his eyebrows furrowing. "I sense-"

"Trouble, at the landing pad" Tionne finished. Her eyes darted about. "Was I supposed to do that?"

Luke shrugged. "Not sure, really. Still we've got to get down there." He turned and made his way to the turbolift, Tionne right beside him. Both fell into an easy gait, hands drifting together until his gloved right hand clasped her bare left.

They entered the turbolift and the car automatically descended, arriving at the main foyer in minutes. They exited and dashed outside as an old Z-95 headhunter touched down. Luke's eyes narrowed and his lips twitched. "Keiran," he muttered.

Everyone had already gathered around the landing field as the fighter touched down. Leia glanced up and saw the pair emerge. "About time," she said, Jacen and Jaina in her arms. "Mara's got Keiran and he's hurt. Cilghal's getting the bacta tank ready."

The whine from the headhunter's engines faded and the canopy slid open, allowing Mara to emerge. "We got wounded!" she shouted, turning back and holding out her arms. "Keiran's got a broken left leg, ribs…" She sighed. "Actually, probably easier to list what's _not_ damaged."

Keiran winced as he floated up, buoyed somewhat by Mara's telekinesis. "Nice one, Mara. I-OW!" he screamed, his arm banging into the side. He closed his eyes as tears threatened to flow from his emerald eyes.

Suddenly, he floated up and out, his body never touching the ground or anything else. Kam and Brakiss walked up, eyes half-closed in concentration. "Cilghal's got the bacta ready," Brakiss murmured as they levitated him up the stairs and inside.

Mara hopped down and looked around. "Well, scratch one Sith Lord," she said, eyes shining. She looked up as Luke and Tionne walked down and noted their closeness, physically and spiritually. "Did… I miss something?"

Luke and Tionne glanced at each other before Luke looked back down. "Oh, oh!" he finally said. "Well, when I regained my physical form-and might I say how proud I am of all of you for defeating Exar Kun-Tionne kissed me," he explained, blushing slightly.

He stepped forward as the trainees gathered around. "Yes, you've all proven yourselves worthy of the title 'Jedi'. A great evil has been defeated, and you've proven that the flame of our Order can outshine any darkness. I'm proud of all of you," he stated, a boyish grin lighting his face.

"About time you figured it out!" Kyle called out, smirking. His face turned serious. "What about Kyp? He's still out there with the _Sun Crusher_!"

Leia turned to him, a smile on her face. "Han's still alive, and I can't sense anything overtly amiss with him. So my guess is-"

"Daddy's coming home?" Jacen blurted out.

Leia smiled and kissed her son on the forehead. "Yes, Jasa. Daddy's coming home."

Kyle looked back up at Luke. "So… what about him? What's gonna happen to Kyp?" His hands clenched, gloves creaking. "I had friends on Carida…"

The Jedi Master breathed out, centering himself. "Kyp erred, but most of us here have also erred. I myself fell under the Dark Side's influence when Palpatine resurfaced. I will give him another chance, Kyle."

The weapons master opened his mouth to protest, but a simple glare from Luke silenced him. "Another chance, then," he muttered, running through a Jedi calming exercise.

Tionne noted Mara staring at her. "Mara? W-what is it?" She looked herself over. "Is something wrong?"

_You're there instead of me, that's what's wrong._ "No, why would anything be wrong?" Mara sighed and waved the silver-haired Jedi off, a casual laugh on her lips. "You two look cute together!"

She turned from them and raised her hand to her eyes. "Very cute…"

Leia walked over to Luke. "It might be a good idea for you to get checked out, too. You've been comatose for over a week, after all."

Luke opened his mouth, but a simple glare from Leia silenced any protests. "All right." He looked over his students-the newest Jedi-and smiled. "Get some rest. You've all earned it."

Dorsk 81 and Kirana Ti walked up to Kyle. "About time," the clone muttered, even as the group entered the Great Temple behind Luke and Tionne.

Kirana Ti shrugged, her lizard-skin armor bouncing on her shoulders. "Luke is a wise man… but still a man. In matters of the heart, he can miss things."

Kyle snorted as they walked up to the turbolifts in the back of the main foyer. "I'm checking on Keiran before any rest." He noted Dorsk and Kirana nodding and smiled as the car they occupied ascended five levels before stopping. They exited and tracked their friend's presence in the Force, entering a room near the middle of the hall.

Cilghal's right eye swiveled and looked over at them while her left eye studied a computer console at the edge of the room. "He'll be out in an hour," she said. "Nothing too serious."

The clone walked up to the bacta tank in the center of the room. The green-haired Jedi bobbed up and down, a breath mask over his mouth and eyes shut. The glassine cylinder distorted Dorsk's reflection, warping his mottled and greenish skin. "What did he do at Exar Kun's temple?"

On the other side, Brakiss snorted. "He angered a Sith Lord, Dorsk." He walked around, keeping his eyes on his friend. "Exar Kun did this… while only a spirit. Unsettling, to say the least." His hand went up and he pressed it against the cylinder. "Rest well, Keiran."

* * *

Luke and Tionne lingered a bit, taking their time going to Cilghal and the medical droid two levels up from where they walked. They held hands, almost identical grins on their faces. Tionne swallowed before speaking. "Luke… I've never…" She paused, moving her free right hand around a bit, "been in a relationship before. At least not one I remember."

Luke squeezed her hand. "We'll take it slow, Tionne. There's no real reason for us to rush. There's still a lot for us to explore."

A sigh escaped her lips and she looked away, silvery eyes half-closed. "I just wish I knew more about my past, though. Before Exis Station is nothing. Nothing! What if I'm some evil criminal or serial killer?"

The Jedi Master stepped forward and faced Tionne. "I don't know either, Tionne, but I know your soul is pure. You're no killer or evil person," he stated, blue eyes shining with sincerity.

A small smile tugged at Tionne's lips. "Thank you," she whispered. "Now… maybe we should get you to Cilghal? Leia's right, you know." She turned around and pulled Luke along. "Were you always this stubborn?"

Luke chuckled as she led him to the turbolift. "Let me tell you what happened after Endor…"


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine: Moving on**

Leia's eyes flickered on Mara as the redhead lingered around her Z-95. She walked up to her. "Need to talk?" she asked, the durasteel in her voice indicating 'no' wasn't a good response.

Mara blinked twice. "Umm, all right." She looked down at the twins even as they stared up at her, unnerving her even more than Leia's steely gaze. "Although I think-"

"Wanna go visit Cilghal, Uncle Luke and Tionne?" Leia suddenly said, bouncing Jacen and Jaina in her arms.

"Yeah!" They both cried, Jacen's pudgy arms waving about. Jaina's own brown eyes shone at the thought of seeing her uncle and both twins radiated a shining innocence through the Force.

Leia grinned and walked off. "I'll be back," she said to Mara, walking up to the Temple and inside.

Mara sighed and leaned against the headhunter's fuselage, knowing there was no way to escape Leia on this moon short of leaving-and Mara Jade was no coward. She waited for Leia, steeling herself for the confrontation.

* * *

Leia entered the medical bay and saw her brother sitting on a bed, Tionne and Cilghal standing over him. She walked over, smiling. "Well, nice to see you taking my advice for once," she teased him. "And Jacen and Jaina are happy to see you, too."

Jaina smiled at Tionne. "You _are_ his girlfriend!' she cried out, waving her arms at her. "Why didn't you know?"

Tionne clamped her mouth shut and waited before answering. "I didn't know at the time," she finally said, sharing a glance with Luke. "I'm glad I know now, though."

Leia turned to Cilghal. "Is it all right to leave Jacen and Jaina with the two lovebirds for a bit while I take care of something?"

The Mon Cal Jedi nodded. "Yes, Mistress Leia. Although I wouldn't recommend it for too long. Master Skywalker needs his rest."

Luke held his arms out as Leia handed Jacen to him and Jaina to Tionne. He caught a flicker in the Force and he met his sister's eyes. "Leia, what's-"

"You two have fun!" she called out to her children before departing, leaving Luke alone with his questions.

She found Mara still standing around her headhunter, her gloved hand adjusting something beneath a panel near the port engine. "So, what is it?" she asked, the tone of her voice frostier than a night on Hoth. She whipped her head around, followed by her body. "Got a problem with me, princess?"

Leia ignored the diversionary insult and strode forward, her brown eyes focused on a narrow glare. "Yes, I do have a problem with how you acted to Luke and Tionne. And I'd prefer to nip this problem in the bud before it worsens." She stopped a meter in front of Mara, eyes never wavering from the return glare.

"And what problem would that be?" Mara asked. "I'm only concerned for Luke's happiness and well-being, after all. I owe him that much, at least. Tionne seems a bit fragile to me, especially for a guy like Luke." Her hips twitched a bit, almost in… emphasis.

Leia's jaw worked a bit. "Tionne's proven herself to have _quite_ the durasteel will, Mara. She just doesn't flaunt it like you." Her eyes washed over Mara and realization struck her. "You thought you'd end up with Luke," she stated. "Why?"

Mara shrugged. "Yeah, so? With time, we could've been-"

"With time," Leia said, interrupting her. "Note those two words, Mara. Two years ago, you were ready to kill him. He helped you overcome Palpatine's brainwashing and set you on the path of redemption. Maybe five or ten years down the road you two would get together, but now?" She shook her head. "Right now, Tionne is here. Right now, they love each other."

Unfamiliar stinging forced Mara to rub her eyes and turn from Leia. "I know, I know!" She banged her fist on her headhunter's fuselage. "I… know." Her chest and shoulders heaved as an emotional dam burst and wracking sobs shook her body. Embarrassment and shame flooded her being at the loss of emotional control, but Mara didn't give much of a damn at the moment.

Leia waited until the worst of it had passed before approaching Mara. She placed a hand on Mara's still-shaking shoulder and let soothing thoughts and feelings flow through the contact.

It took many seconds for Mara to stop crying. "I-I never did that before," she admitted, her head hanging low. She wiped her nose and sniffed a bit. "Palpatine told me showing emotion like that was a weakness." She glanced away from Leia. "I'm sorry."

The princess shook her head. "On the contrary, what you did showed your strength. Palpatine was wrong by teaching you that, I hope you realize."

Mara nodded, a tiny smile lighting the corners of her mouth. "I think I do, Leia. Thank you." She sighed and crossed her arms. "And you're right. No use predicting my life on what _may_ happen. It wouldn't be fair to Luke or Tionne…" She leaned in close to Leia, a sparkle in her emerald eyes. "And even I'll admit the two look cute-but don't tell anyone I said that!"

Leia's lips twitched. "Not a word, Mara." She took a step back and gently directed Mara up the steps of the Temple. "Now, let's get you something to eat and drink."

The redhead patted her stomach as it growled. "Thanks. I could go for some hot chocolate."

* * *

_Two days later_  
The Jedi trainees filtered into the Grand Audience Chamber one or two at a time. Luke stood near the front, looking rather grim. He waited until everyone sat before speaking. "Kyp is being sent here, for judgment. He'll arrive in a few days."

Kyle snarled and slammed his fist into the stone bench he sat on. "Firing squad or hanging?"

Luke's eyes narrowed. "Neither, Kyle. I shall give him a chance to redeem himself."

The soldier leapt to his feet, anger pulsing off him. "What? He blew up the Carida System! He put you into a coma! He-"

"-did it all while under the influence of the Dark Side, specifically, Exar Kun," Kam interjected. "There are… mitigating circumstances." The grizzled Jedi locked eyes with Kyle from his bench. "If he's willing to atone, then we should let him."

Kyle waved him off and turned away. "That's insane."

Tionne spoke up from the side. "Any more insane than your redemption after Altyr V? Or Kam coming back from serving under Palpatine as a Dark Side Elite? What about Brakiss and Mara, or Luke himself?" With each name, she motioned to the person, finally waving her hand at Kyle. "The Jedi forgive when the contrite are sincere."

Kyle's face turned red with embarrassment. He plopped back down and crossed his arms. "Don't expect a warm welcome," he muttered.

Keiran raised his hand and waved it about, attracting everyone's attention. "Luke, can I talk to you after this meeting? It's about… her."

Luke stared straight at him, piercing his soul with a glance. "Certainly, Keiran." His gaze washed over everyone else, but he turned sharply and gazed in the direction of the landing pad. "We have a visitor…"

He strode forward, everyone falling in step behind him. Tionne walked by his side. "Leia's down there already," she said to him. "Not that you… needed to be told…" Her pale skin flushed red as they entered the turbolift near the back of the chamber.

Luke clasped her hand with his. "Thank you, Tionne, for the confirmation."

Leia stood at the edge of the landing field as an NRDF B-wing touched down. Jacen and Jaina stood by her, grabbing her fingers with their tiny hands. "He wants to see me," she said as Luke and Tionne walked up to her.

The cockpit opened up and a salmon-colored Mon Cal climbed out. He walked forward and collapsed in front of Leia, prostrating himself. "Mistress Leia, your son is in great danger!" he shouted.

Leia's eyes narrowed and she let go of Jacen and Jaina's hands. She shut herself off from them and took two steps forward. Leia then knelt and focused on the technician from Coruscant. "Speak, and speak quickly."

Terpfen's eyes swiveled up and his head rose. "Ambassador Furgan is going to Anoth in order to kidnap Anakin Solo. I am… was a plant." He motioned to the scars on his head. "They are not merely from torture, but from when scientists implanted devices into my head for control of my body and actions."

Leia's nostrils flared. "Anakin? In danger??!?" She looked at the B-wing. "Is that a two-seater?"

Terpfen nodded. "I made sure, in case-"

He was interrupted when Leia grabbed him by the collar and began dragging him back to the cockpit. "Luke, Tionne! Take care of Jacen and Jaina until Han gets back!" she shouted. Suddenly she ran back to her eldest children and hugged them tightly. "Mommy's going to get your little brother back before any bad men hurt him!"

Luke and Tionne walked forward and knelt by Jacen and Jaina. "The Force will be with you," Tionne shouted as Leia and Terpfen boarded. She looked down at Jaina and smiled. "Mommy will be back soon, Jaya."

Jaina looked up at Tionne and her mouth opened in a gap-toothed grin. "Sure, because Mommy's the strongest person in the galaxy!" she exclaimed, thrusting a tiny fist into the air.

Luke looked up as the B-wing floated above them, the main section rotating around and the wings folding down to form the familiar cross-shaped design. "She sure is, Jaya. She sure is…"

Luke turned back and looked up just as Keiran walked out. "I've got-"

"Don't say it," Tionne teased, although her eyes betrayed the seriousness of the situation. She followed Luke's eyes up to Keiran as he walked down. "Oh, my. Keiran, what's on your mind?"

Keiran hesitated. "Tionne, sorry but this is… I gotta talk to Luke alone, all right?"

Tionne nodded before taking Jacen and Jaina's hands. "Come on, you two. Let's go explore near the river, all right? Do you know how to swim? I can show…" Her voice trailed off as she took the children off, although her connection with Luke never wavered.

Luke turned back to Keiran, a sad expression on his face. "Keiran, I'm not sure you're ready to go off. Even with Exar Kun's defeat, there's still much for you to learn and do here. I don't want anyone to get half an education, like I did."

Keiran shook his head. "Half an education in the Jedi, but a full education in real life." He held up his hands to stop the protests he felt from Luke. "Not to say your education's been lacking. It's just… I think it's right for me to go off, now."

"Please say goodbye to everyone first," Luke said. "I can sense I won't be able to change your mind on this, unfortunately."

Keiran's lips curled slightly. "Sometimes, you just gotta go out and see what you can do with what you've got, Luke. Leaving the nest and all those hoary clichés." He chuckled. "I'll contact Booster Terrik tonight and have him pick me up. So don't be alarmed when a star destroyer shows up in a few days, all right?"

The Jedi Master's eyes widened. "A star destroyer?"

Keiran's green eyes twinkled. "Oh, don't worry. Wedge considers the guy the uncle he never had… for some reason." He shrugged. "It takes all kinds, I guess."

That elicited a small laugh from Luke. "It does indeed." he sobered up. "Be careful, Keiran. If you need help, I'll be there for you," he said, reaching out and patting his friend on the arm."

"Thanks, Luke. May the Force be with you."

* * *

_Two days later_  
The _Millennium Falcon_ touched down, engines wheezing slightly as they powered down. Luke's eyes narrowed as he felt Kyp on board, a roiling bundle of emotions. He stepped forward as the main hatch slid open. "Hello," he said, his voice carrying.

Kyp stood there, Han and Chewie flanking him. His eyes were sunken in, bloodshot and wide. He looked older, but not wiser. "H-hello, Master Skywalker," he stuttered out, his tongue catching. Shame radiated off him, and Luke didn't need the Force to feel it.

The other Jedi stood behind him, even Tionne. This was something he had to do alone, as the Master. His ice-blue eyes bore into Kyp as he walked down the ramp, Han and Chewie still flanking him. "Hello, Kyp. I'm glad to see you've recovered somewhat from Exar Kun's grip. Now perhaps we can continue your training."

The shame in Kyp's aura was replaced by confusion. _Massive_ confusion. "Continue my training?" he asked, his green eyes somehow widening even more. "B-but after everything I've done. Kriff, I sent you into a coma!"

Luke nodded, his gaze never leaving Kyp. "Yes, you made some mistakes. Some of them were pretty big, too. I won't mince words there, but the fact that you surrendered to Han when Kun's spirit was destroyed proves there are… mitigating circumstances. And Mon Mothma _did_ make me responsible for you, so the only _responsible_ thing to do is make sure you're in full control of your powers."

Kyp nodded. "Thank you, Master Skywalker. I'll try-"

"No!" Luke interrupted. "You shall do, or not. There's no try." He stepped back and motioned to the others. "If you'll excuse me, I must speak with Han about family matters." And with that, he stepped around and over to his brother-in-law.

Tionne walked past Kyp, Jacen and Jaina in her arms. "It's… good to see you again," she said, a shaky smile on her lips. "I was worried about you."

Kyp nodded, uncertainty playing on his face. "Thanks, Tionne." He glanced over at Luke as he talked with Han. "Are you two…" At her shy nod, Kyp's mouth almost turned up in a smile. "About time."

He turned-and bumped into a rather angry-looking Kyle. He felt anger boiling beneath the soldier's skin. He flinched at his piercing gaze. "Kyle, I-"

"Save it," the bearded Jedi interrupted, poking Kyp in the chest. "Luke told us to forgive you, to give you a second chance… but I'd be lying if I said it was easy." He gritted his teeth. "I had _friends_ on Carida, Durron. There were a lot of decent people when it exploded."

Brakiss placed a hand on Kyle's shoulder and pulled him back. "That's enough," he snarled. "He feels bad enough about it, Kyle. No need to rub spice in the wound." He locked eyes with Kyp. "It is… good to see you back, Kyp. We were concerned for you." He turned to the rest. "I can assure you that Kyle does _not_ speak for the rest of us, too."

Kyp's haunted eyes looked over Dorsk, Mara, Kam, Keiran, Kirana, Cilghal and the rest. "I'm… not sure I deserve this." His eyes went to the ground. "I did some awful things…

Mara walked up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You're not the only one who's made a mistake, Kyp, who fell off the path. The only question is, what do you intend to do now?"

The younger man hesitated. "I want to do better, Mara. I can't-won't fall that far again." He grabbed his hair with one hand and his eyes took on a manic sheen, if only for a moment. "No, won't fall. I won't…"

* * *

"… So yes, Anakin's safe, Han," Luke said, relief on his weathered features. "I can feel Leia's relief and happiness through the Force like a beacon, and she'll be back tomorrow."

Han's shoulders sagged and his hands unclenched. He let out a short breath and smiled. "Thanks, kid. I'm just…" he wiped his eyes as tears threatened to burst forth from the dam. "If anything ever happened to Anakin, Jacen or Jaina, I don't know what I'd do."

He knelt and held out his fingers to Jacen and Jaina. "I'm resigning my commission and becoming a full-time dad." He smiled at Jacen. "You like that, Jasa? Your old man's gonna stay home from now on."

Luke smiled, but it turned into a frown. "Didn't you already resign before Dathomir?"

Han glanced up and shrugged. "To be honest, I haven't a clue what my status is. If I have already, then fine. If not, then I will. Besides, the new uniforms have too-stiff collars," he said, winking. He stood up, hands engulfing Jacen and Jaina's. "So, when did you two finally get together?" he asked, a trademark Solo grin on his face.

Tionne blushed scarlet while Luke scratched the back of his head and looked to the sky. "Well, Tionne was one of the few who could see my ghostly form," Luke began. "I saw how much she cared for me and her courage facing down Sith beasts and Exar Kun's spirit." He reached out and took Tionne's hand in his before turning to face her. "I think I've finally found someone I can spend the rest of my life with."

Han snorted, but his gaze drifted to Kyp and the other Jedi. "Chewie!" he yelled into the _Falcon's_ hatch. He started walking forward even as his honor brother emerged from the freighter. "Stay with the kids," he said to Luke and Tionne, not even seeing their nods as he walked to Kyp.

Chewie stomped down and, with long strides, caught up to Han. [What is it?] he asked, furry eyebrows furrowing. He glanced over at Kyp and growled. [Leave him alone!] he roared.

Kyle looked up from Kyp and waved his hands. "Whoa, whoa! I backed down, furball." he waved his hand at Kyp, still clutching his hair. "He's the one you should be talking to."

Han turned to Kyp and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Kid, you've gotta stop beating yourself up over this. Everyone here's made mistakes in their life." A shaky grin crossed his mouth. "If I had a credit for every mistake _I_ made, I'd be able to buy out the Hapes Consortium!"

Kyp's head slowly turned and he locked eyes with Han. "I doubt any of your mistakes involved blowing up several stars… or killing your own brother," he blurted out, tears stinging his eyes. His breathing increased in pace and, somehow, his eyes became even wider. "Damn it, Han! I saw him _vaporize_ before my eyes! I killed him, and everyone on Carida," he shouted before dropping to his knees.

Han knelt down beside him and placed a hand on Kyp's shoulder, feeling a bit of triumph that he didn't flinch or pull away. "I didn't know, Kyp… and I'm sorry. And as trite as it's gonna sound, I'm gonna say it anyway. Do you think Zeth wants you moping like this? Do you think he wants you wallowing in pain like this? Or does he want you to stand up, get back on your feet and get going?"

"He… would want me to get going," Kyp admitted, gritting his teeth. He looked up at Han. "I just don't know how to."

Luke's voice from behind startled Kyp, causing him to jump to his feet and pivot around to face the Jedi master. "All you can do, Kyp, is learn and move forward. It's what I had to do after falling under Palpatine's thrall last year." He held out his arm and swept it to his students and newly-promoted Jedi, a breeze stirring his robe slightly. "It's all anyone can do, really." His gaze fell upon Kyle. "It's what you did after Altyr V."

Kyle's cheeks burned red, but he remained silent. He crossed his arms and turned his head from the group, shame radiating off of him in body language and the Force.

Kyp sighed his entire body seemed to shrink. His gaze took on a faraway look and he stared off into space. "Thank you, Master Skywalker," he whispered. He turned to the Temple and began walking over to the ancient structure. "I think I'm going to sleep, if it's all right." He waited for a barely perceptible nod from Luke before stumbling off.

Luke's eyes followed him. "It'll take time, but he'll be all right. Keiran, Kirana, Dorsk and Mara, please check up on him in a few hours. At the moment, he needs sleep. Later on, he'll need friends."

Three of the four Jedi nodded. Mara glanced to the Temple, both her eyes and Force senses tracking the young man. "He's gonna be a head case for a while, walking on Gort eggshells." She walked off, following Kyp at a discrete distance.

The rest of the Jedi drifted off, either to exercises, the cafeteria or just talked amongst themselves. Luke, Han, Chewie and Tionne stayed around the Falcon with the twins. "There's a room ready for you until Leia and Anakin get here," Luke said. "It's high up and has a great view of the surrounding jungle."

Han waved him off. "Nah, kid. The _Falcon's_ fine enough. Although I'm not sure the twins wanna leave." He knelt down as they hovered around Tionne. "All right, kids. You'll be sleeping in the _Falcon_ tonight with Daddy and Uncle Chewie."

The big Wookiee snorted. ['Uncle'?]

Han glanced back up at him. "We're honor brothers, right? Close enough. Lando thinks he's an uncle and if he's an uncle, then so are you."

He reached out to Jacen, but he squirmed a bit. "Wanna stay with Tionne," he whined. "She's nice!"

A sigh escaped Han's lips. "Sorry, Jasa, not tonight." He waited a span of heartbeats before glancing up at Tionne. "Little help?"

Tionne smiled and gently pushed Jacen and Jaina to Han. "Come on, you two. Daddy's waiting for you."

With no small amount of whimpering, the twins separated from the silver-haired Jedi and walked over to Han. Jacen rubbed his eyes and stifled a yawn, while Jaina's lips quivered slightly.

Chewie sniffed and bared his fangs. [I'd say it's time for a nap for the young cubs.] He knelt down and scooped the children up. [Come, Honor Brother. I'll show you how it's done.] He turned and walked back to the _Falcon_, chuffing slightly at the children.

Han looked back at Chewie, then turned to Luke and Tionne. His jaw worked a bit before he spoke. "Might be a good idea-get lessons from Chewie."

[Honor Brother!]

The former smuggler gulped and turned around. "Okay gotta go!" he said, tossing a casual wave to the two Jedi before running off to catch up with Chewie. The two walked up the _Falcon's_ main ramp and were quickly out of sight.

Luke glanced to Tionne, a shy grin on his face. "Some hot chocolate in the cafeteria? Artoo's getting pretty good at mixing it."

Tionne nodded, looking up briefly at the approximate location of Kyp's room in the Temple. Her brow furrowed slightly, but she shook her head and smiled at Luke. "I'd love some."

* * *

Kyp stumbled to his old room, more by instinct than anything else. He slid the door open with his hands, eschewing the Force. Within moments, he was lying facedown on his bed.

"It's not going to go away, kid. It'll be with you for the rest of your life."

Kyp rolled over and sat up. He looked over at Mara standing in the doorway. "W-what?" he asked, already bleary-eyed.

Mara walked in and sat next to him on the bed. "The guilt, the pain." She tapped her chest. "I feel it, for everyone I killed as a Hand. For wanting to kill the farmboy for all those years." She blinked and looked down at the stone floor. "I have to put on the 'tough girl' act, or else break down from the guilt."

"So what do you do?" he asked, right eyebrow arching slightly.

"The best I can," Mara replied. She poked Kyp in the chest. "And that's all you can do, too. Don't let Kyle get to you. I've seen him at some pretty low points in his life, but don't dismiss his words either. He's a lot smarter than he seems."

Kyp chuckled slightly at that, causing Mara to smirk. "Hey, can remember how to smile. Good!" She rose from the bed and tugged down slightly on her jumpsuit, straightening it out. "If you need someone to talk to, kid, don't hesitate. Now get some sleep."

"I will, Mara. And thanks." He waited until she was almost out the door before speaking again. "W-want to train a bit tomorrow?"

Mara looked back and tossed her hair with her hand. "Sure thing. 0900 hours, and don't be late!"


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten: Hello, Goodbye.**

Tionne woke early the next morning, feeling refreshed and energetic. She sought out Luke through the link they now shared and smiled as she sensed him waking up at about the same time. She quickly cleaned up and dressed in a rather practical pair of white pants and matching shirt, eschewing her normal silvery dress.

She made her way to the turbolifts at the end of the hallway and entered, taking it down to the cafeteria. She went over the list of supplies in her head and considered what to make for breakfast. _Corellian? Nah, too spicy for this early in the morning… although Kirana Ti would like it. Hmm… Chandrilan would be a nice change of pace, and Luke's never had it before._

The doors opened and she exited. Tionne's brow wrinkled as she sensed Keiran already in the kitchen. She entered the large room just as he exited the kitchen, a tray of food in each hand. "What are you doing?" she asked. "I thought it was my turn to cook today."

Keiran waited until he had set down the trays of food before allowing his concentration to switch from the food to Tionne. "It's a bit of a present," he said. "I figure since today's my last day here, I should do something nice for you." He finished arranging the plates and glasses before standing up straight and smiling. "How does it look?" he asked, motioning to the well-prepared repast.

Tionne stood there in silence before numbly walking up to him. "You're leaving?" she asked. "But why? There's still so much for you to learn, Keiran. And we haven't gotten any assignments yet…" Her voice softened and she frowned. "But you _have_ to go," Tionne stated, picking up on his emotions.

Keiran nodded and sighed. "Yeah, Tionne. I think it's time for me to go out and find… what I need to find."

The silver-haired Jedi wrapped her arms around her friend and hugged him. "You be careful," she said. "And you come back, too." Tionne waggled her finger at Keiran for emphasis, causing him to crack a grin. "It's not funny," she huffed out, even as she sighed and smiled.

Luke walked into the cafeteria at that point and saw Tionne and Keiran standing together. "So you finally told someone else, Keiran." He patted the Corellian on the arm. "I wish you'd stay a little bit longer, but ultimately, it's your choice."

Keiran sighed. "Make it a little harder on me," he mock-groaned. He looked to the side as others began walking in. Some were groggy, others wide and alert.

Brakiss and Dorsk sat down while Kyle and Kam stood, talking for a bit. Mara's gaze flicked to the door every few seconds until Kyp walked in, keeping to himself. His head was low and his eyes still underscored by dark smudges.

Mara waved at him, but Kyp paid her no mind as he sat on the far end of the table. A scowl lit her features as she rose, walked over and grabbed him by the shoulder. He protested rather feebly before she half-dragged him over to the main group. "Nice to see you got up on time," she teased. "Eat up, though. I'll put you through your paces but good, Kyp."

Kyp nodded and dug into his breakfast with gusto, shoveling the food into his mouth with gusto. "It's good," he mumbled between bites. He half-drained his glass of blue milk before speaking again. "Who made this?"

Keiran grunted, getting his attention. "I did." He looked around and spoke up. "Ah, I've got an announcement to make. Tonight, I'm heading out. My ride's showing up and I'll be out of your hair."

Dorsk stiffened at that, his hand hovering over a plate of nutrient cubes. "You're leaving, Keiran?"

Keiran sighed. "Yes, Dorsk. I'm leaving. It's time for me to go. There's someone waiting for me out there." He motioned to the breakfast. "In the meantime, eat up. It's a little going-away present from me to you," he said, sitting himself. He ate some of the food he made and smiled. "Wow, I forgot how good my cooking is." He looked at his friends and fellow students. "Well, dig in!"

Tionne sat down, Luke sliding into the chair next to her. The two ate in companionable silence, but Tionne noted the background noise was lower than before. It took her all of two seconds to note that neither Jacen not Jaina were around.

Luke glanced to the side and made eye contact with her. "They're with Chewie on the _Falcon_," he said, noting her concern. "And they're fine. I'll have to tell Han and Leia about your concern. I'm sure they'll appreciate it."

Tionne's pale skin blushed at his words. She finished her breakfast and took care of her dishes, thanking Keiran on her way out. She paused at the table while Luke finished his own breakfast. "I'll see you in a bit," she said.

The Jedi Master turned in his seat and looked up at her. "All right. Tell Han I said hi."

Tionne laughed slightly as she patted him on the shoulder, letting the touch linger. She then took off, walking out of the cafeteria and out of the Great Temple proper. She hopped down the steps two at a time, quickly arriving at the landing field. she spied Chewie and the twins, the former standing watch over the latter. She smiled at the twins as they ran up to her. "Hey, kids. Minding your Uncle Chewie?"

Jaina ran over and looked up at Tionne, smiling brightly. "Tionne!" She held her arms out and waggled her fingers.

Tionne smiled and stopped, but a nagging feeling started growing at the base of her spine. She looked at the _Falcon_ and reached out with the Force. "Actually, Jaina… I think I can't play now." she knelt down and held her hand out to Jaina. "I'm sorry, sweetie."

Jaina sniffed and pouted, but was distracted when Jacen ran over and tossed a clump of dirt at her. She ran after him, leaving Tionne sighing in relief. "Sorry," she mumbled. "I'll play with you later, Jaya. I promise."

Chewie grunted a bit at her. [I'll keep the kids occupied a bit while you do what you need to do.] He bared his fangs in a grin and waved at the _Falcon_.

Tionne nodded, getting the meaning of his words. She walked up to the freighter and boarded her. "Han?" she called out, looking about. She quickly located his unique presence in the Force and followed it to the cockpit.

"…Come on, Ackbar. Yeah, that's-that's a good reason. What, she agrees too? Oh, she suggested it. I suppose… He can? 'Little Fish'? I suppose it's a good nickname." he stopped talking as he heard Tionne approach. "Oh, gotta go." He switched off the holo-projector and turned around. "Hey, kid."

Tionne bowed her head slightly. "Sorry, Han. I just felt… something from here. Is everything all right?"

Han leaned back in his chair and shrugged. "Well, I learned I can't resign. If I did, Leia and I couldn't discuss anything. So I got assigned as 'liaison for domestic defense'. In other words, house-husband." he shrugged, flashing her that famous half-smile of his. "Could be worse," he said, motioning to another chair in the cockpit.

Tionne sat down. "That's good."

Han nodded. "The _Galactic Voyager's_ coming here to drop Anakin off, too, although Leia has… to go back to Coruscant," he growled out. "Mon Mothma's dying, and he thinks Cilghal can help somehow."

Tionne sat up straight at that. "Mon Mothma?"

"Yeah," Han said, looking to the side. "I'm not sure what Cilghal can do, though for her. She's pretty far gone."

Tionne nodded. "I see. Who's Mom Mothma?" she asked, eyebrows wrinkling slightly.

The older man paused. "Chief of State for the New Republic," he stated, disbelief crossing his face. Han sat forward a little bit, eyes narrowing slightly.

Tionne noted his gaze and swallowed. She shored up her mental defenses, praying to whatever gods that may or may not exist that the majority of her emotions wouldn't leak through the still-strengthening bond she felt with Luke. "I met Luke a few months ago on Exis Station. I'm not sure if he was searching for me or for the artifacts but…" She paused and gathered her courage. "I have no memories of what my life was like before meeting him."

"Nothing?" Han repeated, expression turning to one of astonishment. "Nothing at all?"

Tionne nodded, her gaze taking on a faraway look. "I know what transparisteel is, what flowers are and what to do when I wake up. I have skills to get through life, Jedi or not. But beyond that… I don't know anything," she said, her voice breaking at the end.

Han leaned back, his arm brushing against part of the control console. "Tionne, sounds like you've got something to get out. Keep talking, kid."

* * *

Luke's comlink suddenly beeped as he walked down the Temple's halls. He pulled it out, but stopped before speaking. _Listen_, a voice told him, _and learn.

* * *

_

"The thing is, what if I'm not… me?" she blurted out. "What if 'Tionne' is some, I don't know, a shell?" Tionne tapped her chest. "What if it's some elaborate ploy for me to get inside the Academy and… hurt Luke?" Tionne leaned back in the chair, eyes wide. "Gods… what if I hurt Jacen or Jaina? What if-"

Han held up his hand. "Whoa, slow down! Tionne, I don't know about shells or anything like that, but according to some people, I'm a good judge of character." He leaned forward and locked eyes with her. "I trust you with my children's lives, Tionne. There's not many people I would, but you're one of them."

Tionne wiped her eyes; there were no tears, but the dam was threatening to burst. "Han, if you had any idea how much that means to me…" She sighed and her shoulders slumped. "I still don't know. About me, who I am or sometimes what I am."

The former smuggler rubbed his chin in thought. "Tionne, I know what it's like to have gaps in my memories, although not as _large_ as yours." He sighed as memories flooded him, long ago times of his youth. "The first real memories I have were on Corellia as a homeless vagrant, barely able to beg, borrow or steal enough credits to survive. Then Garris Shrike found me…" He paused and shrugged. "Although you don't need to know the full details of my sordid past."

Tionne slowly held her hands up and looked them over, her head tilting to the side slightly. "I'd like to know, Han. Not now, but some day." She looked back at him and smiled. "Thanks."

Han smiled and his eyes drifted up and to his right. "You're welcome. Although I think-"

Tionne followed his gaze and shouted," Luke!" before jumping to her feet. The Jedi Master stood before her, hands clasped in front of him. She turned back to Han and spied his arm near the console-and a blinking red light. "Oh, you!" she scowled.

Han slowly got to his feet and patted the two on their shoulders. "I think I'll see how the kids are doing," he said before leaving.

Luke met Tionne's gaze. "Tionne, I don't care who you were. All I care is who you are. And who you are is a wonderful, sweet person who I know will never harm me." He stepped forward and placed his hands on her shoulders, feeling an electric tingle on the palms of his hands, even through the fabric of her shirt. "I trust you with my life and with my family."

Tionne swallowed, but turned away from him. "I'm not sure I trust myself with you, Luke," she said, bitterness wafting off her words. "What if I _am_ some plant by the Empire or Sith to strike at you when the time is right? What if 'Tionne' is all a sham?" She closed her eyes, but tears still fell and streaked down her pale cheeks.

Luke breathed out. "Let me tell you about an old love of mine," he began. "Let me tell you about Shira Brie, Tionne, so you can know why I can trust you." He sat down and waited for Tionne to follow before continuing. "She was an imperial spy, used to infiltrate the Alliance and discredit me. During our final mission together, she flew a captured TIE fighter. Things became hectic and communications were scrambled, forcing me to… use the Force to determine friend from foe."

The Jedi's eyes were hollow as he thought back, his mind peeling back the pages of memories. "I shot and fired at the woman I once loved, sending her crashing to the surface."

Both were now sitting in the _Falcon's_ chairs. Tionne leaned forward. "Luke, why are you telling me this?" she asked.

Luke sighed. "I sensed her intent, her hidden malice." He smiled slightly and reached out again. "Tionne, I don't sense any from you. There were a dozen times you could've let me die when my spirit was separated from my body, but you didn't!" His voice took on a pleading tone. "Don't you see? There's something hidden, but it's not something horrid!"

Tionne swallowed and nodded, not trusting her voice for several heartbeats. Finally, she spoke. "Someday… I want to learn who I am, Luke, and how I got onto Exis Station." She reached out her hand across the space between their chairs. "In the meantime, I want to build something with you, Luke."

Luke smiled and closed the distance, grabbing her delicate hand with his organic hand, twisting it a bit awkwardly to match up with Tionne's. "So do I, Tionne. I want to help you find your past, and build a future on it."

* * *

Mara waited in the center of the unofficial training field and waited. Kyp exited the Temple, but seemed to hesitate before walking down the steps and to the grassy field nestled between the landing field and the edge of the forest. "Right on time," she commented. "Nice."

Kyp hesitated before nodding. "I didn't want to… disappoint you," he finally said. His eyes stayed lowered, the eyebrow ridges casting them in shadow.

Mara walked up to him, reached out and tilted his head up so they were looking into each other's eyes. "Hey, snap out of it!" she half-shouted, glowering slightly. "I won't have my student sinking into unnecessary depression!"

The younger man started slightly, his mouth opening for a moment before he spoke. "What? Mara, I don't _want_ to be like this, but-"

She cut him off with a wave of her hand. "Then don't be like that, Kyp." She grabbed arm with one hand and unclipped her lightsaber with the other. With one swift motion, she pressed it into the palm of his hand. "Here. You'll need this."

Kyp's hands trembled as he gripped the lightsaber. He kept his fingers as far away from the trigger as possible while still able to hold onto it. "What am I supposed to do with this?"

The corners of Mara's mouth quirked upward slightly. "You're supposed to train with it, Kyp. You had a good start before Exar Kun. No need to toss it all away." She stepped back, and held her arms out. "Go on. Turn it on."

A second later, a brilliant-blue plasma blade shot from the emitter. Kyp waved it around a bit, the pitch and hum changing with each swipe. "Doesn't feel too bad," he muttered.

Mara walked over to his side and reached out, gently grabbing his wrists. "Do it like this," she said, maneuvering his arms about. "There, that's the proper way to hold it for basic use." She slid her feet apart and bent her knees down. "Now copy."

Kyp looked her over and swallowed slightly before imitating her. Sweat broke out onto his brow, but he wasn't sure from what… "Like this?"

Mara looked him over and nodded. "Good. Now let's get some basic lessons in."

Kyp paused and looked at her. "Where'd these 'lessons' come from?" he asked, suddenly wary.

The former Hand sighed. "Some of them _are_ from my days under Palpatine, yes. But that doesn't detract from their usefulness. Vader knew how to handle a lightsaber, after all." She suddenly held her hands up as she felt Kyp's tension spike. "And a lot of it's from Luke's lessons, too! They overlap a great deal, Kyp!"

Some of the tension in Kyp's body left him and he relaxed ever so slightly. "Okay," he finally said. He looked himself over. "Is this right?"

Mara rubbed her chin as she looked the young man over. "Technically, it's flawless," she commented. "However, everyone eventually develops their own style. It's why the pre-Purge Order tried to divvy it up into 'Forms'," she said with distaste. "Although trying to limit something like lightsaber combat in such a way is counterproductive in the least."

Kyp swallowed. "Master Skywalker feels they might have some merit. Well, last time I was paying him attention before…"

Mara spoke up so Kyp didn't have to go any further into his crimes. "And they very may well, but I still disagree with them based on _my_ personal style." She flashed Kyp a toothy smile. "So, let's see what style you take to…"

* * *

Luke took a sip of hot chocolate as he observed Mara and Kyp on the practice field from a room halfway up the Great Temple. "He's learning," he commented. "And I sense some of his anxiety is lessening. Still…" He turned to the two other occupants of the room. "I think it's time."

Tionne blinked twice. "Time for what?" Comprehension quickly dawned in her eye. "Oh…"

Luke turned and regarded her. "Right." he walked up to her and placed two hands on her arms. He locked eyes with her before speaking. "There are things I have to do, but as soon as they're done, we'll go searching for your past. I promise you that."

Tionne flashed a dazzling smile at him. "I know, and believe me when I say it's all right." She leaned forward and kissed him lightly on the lips. "The Force is with you."

Luke swallowed before turning and leaving. Tionne watched him go, sighing. "I miss him already," she joked.

Kirana Ti snorted and crossed her arms. "Such drivel."

Tionne waved her off. "Oh, you're just angry because you haven't found that special someone!" Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Hmm, how _are_ you and Kyle doing?"

Kirana growled slightly, baring her teeth. "Kyle and I are nothing but fellow Jedi, Tionne. I…" She trailed off as she noticed Tionne barely holding in laughter. "Oh, I get it. Hah, hah."

Tionne held up a hand. "Sorry, Kirana. It's just… when it comes to that special one, it's _not_ drivel. It's meaningful." She placed a hand on her chest over her heart and glanced down to the stone floor. "I've never felt like this, but I'll admit I'm not sure if love _is_ supposed to feel like this," she sighed.

Kirana pursed her lips before reaching out and patting her on the shoulder. "I've never been in love either, but I believe it is supposed to be like this, Tionne." Her lips twitched upward in a smile. "And I am glad for you, too."

* * *

"What's in there, Master Skywalker?"

"What you take with you, Kyp."

* * *

The Jedi trainees gathered at the edge of the jungle clearing as Luke and Kyp emerged from the jungle, the latter's head held almost high. "Kyp is on the path to redemption," Luke stated. "We have to leave for Coruscant tomorrow." He looked over his students and friends. "Kam will supervise your instruction while we're away."

He noted their expressions ranged from approval in Kam and Tionne's case to outright hostility and disapproval in Keiran's. He turned to Kyp and patted him on the shoulder. "Continue with Mara. I shall see you tonight." He locked eyes with the green-haired Corellian and sent him a short message through the Force._ May I see you?_

Five minutes later, both stood down in the old hangar. Luke kept his senses alert for anyone wandering too close to overhear. "You don't approve of Kyp continuing his training," he stated, arms held out to the side.

Keiran shook his head. "No, I don't." he gestured to the main entrance that led outside. "He blew up a star system, fell right into the Dark Side like a Hutt to spice! How could you trust him with such power?"

Luke nodded. "He did fall, yes. He made a mistake and shall now pay for it the rest of his life. Like I will with my actions last year with Palpatine. Like Kam will when he was part of Palpatine's Dark Side Elite. Like my father when he was Vader."

A low sigh came from Keiran's mouth. "I get your point," he mumbled.

The Jedi Master placed a hand on his shoulder. "I believe in second chance, in redemption in rehabilitation." His eyes twinkled slightly. "Isn't that what your former job entailed?"

It took almost a minute for Keiran to respond to that. His cheeks colored slightly before he bobbed his head once. "I… see your point," he admitted. A slow grin crossed his face. "Damn, I guess that's why you're the Master."

Luke waved him off. "It's no problem, Keiran. And don't assume that just because I'm the 'Master', I'm always right." He took in a breath, but stopped and tilted his head to the side and down. "Yes, Artoo?"

The squat astromech rolled in, domed head whirling about. [Ah, Luke? We've got a star destroyer exiting hyperspace and entering orbit. As Han would say, I'm getting a bad feeling about now.]

Luke nodded before looking back at Keiran. "Your ride's here," he deadpanned. "I hope Booster doesn't make too much of a mess."

Keiran's lips twitched. "He'd better not," he growled out, his temper somewhat in check. He turned and walked out of the hangar, Luke close behind. Keiran stopped as the rest of the Jedi gathered around him.

Luke stood next to Tionne, their hands reaching out and fingers intertwining, as if they were made for each other.

An old-style _Lambda_-class shuttle entered the atmosphere, the two large wings already folding up as it approached. Landing gear popped out from hatches on the bottom as it touched down, stirring up some dust and blowing the grass about.

Gas blew out of several vents as the ventral boarding hatch opened and a ramp extended. A white-haired human with a blood-red prosthetic over his left eye exited, his weathered face barely concealing the rage everyone felt boiling under his skin. Booster Terrik walked over to Keiran and grabbed him by the shoulder. "Just what in the hells do you think you're _doing_ here," he snarled out between clenched teeth.

Luke materialized next to Keiran, eyes little more than chips of ice. "He has learned many valuable skills that will allow him to track that person, Booster. Back off _now_."

Booster looked Luke over and hesitated before dropping his hands. "I'm… sorry," he mumbled. He then looked back at Keiran. "Time's wasting," he said before marching back into the shuttle.

Keiran looked back at his fellow Jedi and waved. "I'll be back," he said. "And when I do come back, there's someone I want you all to meet." He suddenly paused halfway up the ramp before turning and walking down to Kyp. He stopped with a meter between them before extending his hand. "Good luck with the training," he said.

Kyp swallowed as his eyes glistened with unshed tears. "Thanks," he said, accepting the proffered hand and pumping it twice. "I'll make you proud."

Keiran waved him off with his free hand. "Make yourself proud, first. Then worry about other people." He broke the handshake after another thirty seconds before walking back to the shuttle and boarding it.

Two minutes later, the shuttle rose and its engines flared, sending it out of the atmosphere. Everyone's eyes tracked it as it dwindled down to a small point before vanishing completely. Luke looked around. "Well, all right. Time to get back to training, everyone." He clapped his hands lightly for emphasis.

Everyone scattered a bit, going back to what they were doing. Kyp gravitated to Mara. "I'm ready for some more lessons, please," he said.

Mara looked him over with both her eyes and the Force. _He's not as sad as before,_ she thought. _And he's standing straighter, his shoulders not as hunched. What did he and Luke do?_ "All right," she said, smiling slightly. "Let's see how you are with remotes."

* * *

Evening meal went fairly smoothly until Luke's head shot up. "We have visitors," he announced, rising from his seat and smiling.

Tionne's brow furrowed as she reached out. "Wait, it's… Leia," she said, smiling as well. "Oh, and is that Anakin?"

Luke nodded to her. "Indeed it is." He looked at all the others, his smile widening into a boyish grin. "Come on. I want you to meet the newest addition to my family."

He led everyone out as a New Republic shuttle hovered over the landing field. Han, Jacen, Jaina and Chewie were out of the _Falcon_, watching. "There's your little brother," Han said as he held the twins. "And Mommy's onboard, too."

Luke stood by his brother. "She's healthy, but… also agitated."

The shuttle touched down and ran through the customary shutdown procedures. Tionne's nose wrinkled. "Why do they always shoot out gas like that?"

Han chuckled. "It's venting waste gases, among other thing. Let's just say it's not a good idea to stand _too_ close to a landing shuttle without protective gear." He bounced on the balls of his feet, anxiousness permeating his soul. "Doesn't make it any easier to wait, though…"

The main hatch and ramp _finally_ opened and extended, respectively. Leia dashed out, Anakin in her arms. She hugged Han, who walked forward. She stood up on her toes, kissing him on the lips. "Hey, there," she whispered.

Han smirked. "Hey, yourself." He held up a squirming Jacen and Jaina. "There's two other people who are anxious to see you."

"Mamma!" the twins cried out, waving their pudgy arms at her and squealing.

Leia swallowed. She glanced to the side at Chewie as stood there. She gently handed Anakin off to him and took the twins into her arms. She held them tightly, nuzzling them. "I missed you," she whispered.

A salmon-colored Mon Cal in a white NRDF uniform exited and marched up to Cilghal. "You are needed," he said to her. "Mon Mothma is dying, and I fear that only a Jedi can heal her."

Cilghal's head bowed, her bulbous eyes swiveling up to meet his gaze. "Uncle, I am not sure. I've only been training for a few months, and knowledge of Jedi healing techniques are scanty at best."

Ackbar placed a hand on his niece's shoulder. "When the wind is fierce, only then will you know if the ship is sturdy enough."

Cilghal nodded. "You're right. I will go and do what I can."

Ackbar nodded and turned back to the ship. "We leave in ten minutes," he said before walking back.

Kyle spoke up. "Wait… you're Ackbar's _niece_? When the hell were you gonna tell us that?" he exclaimed, waving his arms a bit.

Cilghal swiveled her left eye around to look at him. "You never asked."

* * *

Luke and Kyp walked up to Leia, Han, Chewie and the kids. "Kyp has faced his inner demons and won," he said, "but there's still one more thing he must do."

Leia breathed in. "The _Sun Crusher_." She turned her head and regarded Kyp. "You mean to destroy it? But how?"

"The Maw," he said. "Nothing can escape those black holes. We dump it in there, it's never coming out."

Leia looked him over, pursing her lips. "All right," she finally said. "I can't promise anything, but I'll stand by you at the Council."

Kyp bobbed his head. "That's all I can ask."

Leia sighed, blinking back tears. "We… have to go, soon. Mon Mothma's condition is near terminal. Bacta is only staving off the disease." She turned to Han. "I'm sorry, but-"

"The _Falcon's_ hyperdrive is on the fritz," he confirmed. He looked to the shuttle. "Got room for two more people?"

Ackbar walked past him, but stopped and placed a flippered hand on his shoulder. "Family is the bulwark against the typhoon, General Solo. But I don't think we have time to load the _Falcon _up into the hangar bay."

Han looked at his beloved freighter, then turned to the Jedi. "She'd better be in the _same_ condition when I get back, understood?"

Brakiss spoke up. "We won't do a thing to her, Han. She'll be the same pile of junk as when you left."

Chewie bared his fangs, but there was mirth behind his expression. [We'll hold you to that!] he growled, shaking a hairy fist.

Luke gave Tionne a hug and kiss on the lips. "I'll be back," he said. "Unless-"

"Kyp needs your undivided attention," she said, smiling. She reached out and took his hands in hers. "Just come back."

Luke swallowed and blushed slightly before hugging her again and making his way to the shuttle. Leia, Han, Chewie, Ackbar and Cilghal waved before boarding the shuttle.

The main ramp slid into the hull and the boarding hatch sealed shut. Within seconds, the main ion engines powered up and the shuttle lifted off, pivoting on its axis before shooting into space.

Kyle sighed. "Out of all of that, I still can't believe Cilghal is Ackbar's niece!" He looked around, shrugging and smirking.

Tionne swallowed, fighting down a blush. "Kyle," she whispered, "who is Ackbar? What does he do?"

Kam blinked, his jaw dropping. "WHAT?" he exclaimed. "How can you not know who Ackbar is?" he asked, gesturing wildly.

Tionne blinked, but tears still fell from her eyes. "Because I don't have any memories from before a few months ago!" she yelled, running for the Temple.

Brakiss and Kirana both turned to the grizzled old man. "What is your problem?" Kirana asked, jabbing a gloved finger at him.

Kam backed up. "I didn't think!" he shouted, holding his hands up.

Brakiss snorted. "No, you sure didn't."

* * *

_The _Galactic Voyager_, en route to Coruscant_

Luke clutched his chest, groaning as he sat down in his quarters. "I'll be back soon," he said, half-closing his eyes. He reached out through the link he shared with Tionne, sending her reassuring thoughts. "I'll be back, and then we can find your past and answer your questions."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven: Bridging Gaps**

_The next day_

Kam walked down the hallway to the Temple's main artifact room. He already knew who was there, so he breathed in and out as he approached. The door slid open as he walked up to it. "Tionne, I…" He trailed off as he saw her at the far end of the room, hovering over a holocron on a table. The older man walked over, eyes scrunched in confusion. "What are you doing?"

Tionne glanced up from her seat and over. "Oh… hi." She motioned to cube-shaped crystal in front of her. "I'm trying to figure out how to make our own holocron."

He looked down at it. "This is the one with Master Vodo-Siosk Baas, right? Do you think it'd have that information?" He rubbed his stubble-coated chin. "And why?"

The silver-haired Jedi shook her head, frowning. "Yes it is and I won't know until I look into it. And why not? We'll have to leave our own mark in Jedi history and lore, and these things are practically indestructible," she added, rapping it with her knuckles.

The older man nodded, crossing his arms. "A good idea, but that information's been lost for millennia."

Tionne shrugged. "Well, I still wanna see what _can_ be done before we give up on it. Think of what knowledge we can leave behind," she finished, scratching her head. She suddenly locked eyes with Kam. "Listen, about-"

"-I'm sorry," Kam said, holding up his hand. "I should've remembered about your memory problem, and mocking it was wrong of me. And… I've been a bit too hard on you these past few months," he continued, extending his hand. "You're a true Jedi, Tionne."

Tionne sniffled a bit and wiped her eyes before accepting Kam's hand, pumping it twice. "Thank you," she whispered. She opened her mouth again, but hesitated before speaking again.

Kam's brow wrinkled as he picked up on her feelings. "Why?" he asked the unasked question. "I grew up in the Clone Wars, Tionne. Only the strong survived, the ruthless and the ones willing to push the boundaries as far as possible. There were some exceptions, but for the most part…" His voice trailed off as his eyes took on a distant gaze, almost looking back into the past.

He suddenly blinked and shook his head. "Sorry," he murmured. He motioned to the holocron. "It might be a good idea to call in the rest of us Jedi. We've all got skills we can contribute… I think."

Tionne nodded and smiled. "Excellent idea. And… apology accepted, Kam." She glanced back at the holocron. "I hope the information's in this one," she said before straightening up and looking at all the other holocrons in the room. "Otherwise… it might take a while?"

* * *

Kirana poked at the holocron. "Dorsk, what did you do on Khomm?"

Dorsk's yellow eyes blinked. "I worked in the cloning center, Kirana. Why?"

The Dathomirian warrior shrugged. "Oh, nothing. I was just wondering if you might have any skills to help us sift through information quickly." She crossed her arms and looked at all the crystal cubes and spheres on the various shelves. "Tionne, how do you think we can accomplish such a task?"

Mara waved her off from the side of the room. "Oh, be quiet. This shouldn't be _too_ hard." She walked a few paces forward and turned around, letting her gaze sweep across the shelves and their contents. A low whistle escaped her lips. "I don't think I realized how much info's really here…"

Kyle's brow wrinkled. "What do you mean? They're just storage devices, right?" He picked one up and tossed it in the air, catching it and putting it back on the shelf. "Can't be too hard, right?"

Tionne shook her head, silvery mane flowing behind. "Each one contains possibly unlimited amounts of data. And it's not like the computers we're used to, either." She held out her hand and half-closed her eyes, telekinetically drawing one to her hand. "The gatekeepers decide if we're ready for the knowledge, and each one has access to different areas of Jedi lore to boot."

Dorsk walked up and down, looking at everything. "Did I ever tell anyone what I actually_ did_ at the center?" he asked.

Everyone looked at him. "Actually… no," Kam confessed. His right eyebrow quirked up. "What did you do?"

"Data processing," the clone answered, holding out his hand and touching the holocrons, letting a bit of the Force flow. One by one, the various cubes and spheres glowed, a ghostly figure appearing above each one. They all began speaking, voices overlapping and reaching forward from the ancient past.

"I am the gatekeeper Tott Doneeta, Twi'lek…"

"Welcome, young Jedi! I am…"

"If you are accessing this level of the holocron, then…"

Dorsk's eyes flickered back and forth as the various holograms spoke. "I wish to know how to build a holocron," he asked. "Do any of you have that knowledge?"

Mara's eyes widened. "Dorsk, I've got faith in you… but is there any way you'll be able to pay attention to that many voices at once?"

The clone glanced to her and shrugged theatrically. "No worse than working at a big corporation, I assure you." He turned back to the holocrons, focusing on their words and smiling. "Yes… I know which one." He looked down at the hologram of an old Twi'lek with scars on his face. "Please, Master Doneeta. We wish to preserve our knowledge…"

* * *

_One week later_

_"… with the swearing-in of the new Chief of State. Leia Organa Solo will assume formal control tomorrow. Reaction has been mostly positive, but some-"_

Kam reached over and flipped a switch. The main screen of the Academy's newly-refurbished communications console blinked off. The system, a holdover from the days of the Great Temple being the main Alliance headquarters, had been repaired, cleaned up and refitted with modern technology, giving the Jedi a link with Known Space.

Mara shook her head. "She's in hell," she commented. At everyone's stares, she groaned. "Oh, come on! Do any of you see Leia as a desk jockey?"

Silence reigned for a moment before Kirana Ti spoke up. "Like there's anyone else at the moment? Even _with_ Cilghal's healing technique, Mon Mothma was too weak to resume her position. And really, who else would you trust? Some arrogant male like Garm Bel Iblis, or that semi-traitor Borsk Fey'lya?"

Tionne's brow wrinkled as she glanced at her friend from her seat near the back of the room. "Who's Borsk Fey'lya?"

"A Bothan senator," Mara supplied. Her eyes narrowed and her lips curled as memories flashed in her mind. "He's… not a nice guy, even by Bothan standards."

Tionne nodded, taking Mara for her word. "I see." She looked back at the console. "It was a good idea to take some time out and watch the news, Kam," she said. "We should do this every day."

Kam smiled at her. "Thanks. And you're right. We can't become isolated here on Yavin IV. If something happened, we'd be kriffed if we didn't know." He patted the durasteel side plating of the console and smiled. "It was… fun, working on it."

Mara barked a laugh. "Oh, Kam finally found love!" She clasped her hands together and batted her eyes at him, pouting her lips. "When's the wedding?"

Kam growled, but there was no bite behind his bark. "Don't you have to unpack that fusion furnace? Dorsk and Tionne have the blueprints all ready, after all."

Tionne rose from her chair, her knees popping a bit. "Even with both of us, it'll take time to go over the layout. And growing the crystals could take upwards of a month, not to mention getting the other parts." Her silver eyes glanced down at the floor. "Looks like we won't have it ready by the time Luke gets back…"

Mara snorted. "Oh, I don't think he'll be disappointed," she commented, reaching out and patting her friend on the shoulder. "We've probably gone farther than the post-Ruusan Order in this, and that's big."

Tionne's expression and mood brightened. "You're right. Thanks, Mara." She walked off to the turbolifts near the back of the room. "I'll go and see how he's doing."

A half-second later, Mara began walking. "Wait a sec, Tionne. I gotta get the furnace out like Kam said." She half-jogged over to Tionne, and the two entered one of the turbolift cars, the double-doors closing behind them.

* * *

Dorsk 81's head bobbed slightly as Mara and Tionne entered. "Good to see you," he said, reaching over, picking up a nutrient cube and popping it into his lipless mouth. He waved his hand over the various diagrams and tools laid out on the table in the artifact room. "I think we're all set."

A grunt attracted his attention. He looked over as Tionne and Mara lifted a large gray box. They set it down on the table with a _thud_, their arms trembling. "That was… heavy," Tionne panted, her arms aching. She rubbed her forearms and winced. "I used the Force, too!"

Mara stretched and her vertebrae popped. "So did I, Tionne." She plopped into a chair and groaned. "Pain is an illusion… that hurts _really_ bad."

Dorsk walked over to the furnace and pulled down on a handle on the side, opening a door. He reached in and slid around several pieces inside, creating frameworks for the crystals to grow on. "We cannot go fast on this," he stated. "and if the crystal is flawed, we'll have to start over again."

Tionne sighed. "I know, Dorsk. I was the one who found out that little tidbit from Master Doneeta, remember?"

Mara snorted. "I think that was more for me, Tionne."

The pale-skinned humanoid blushed. "Sorry," she mumbled.

The clone shrugged. "No problem." He closed the door and pulled down on a lever, sealing it. He then opened a few hatches on top and poured various chemicals into the holes. Dorsk then stepped back and looked over at his friends. "Tionne, this was your idea. Would you do the honors?"

Tionne smiled and stood, but paused. Her eyes half-closed as she reached out with the Force. "I will, but only when everyone's here." She glanced to the door and was rewarded when, two minutes later, the rest of the Jedi entered. "This is when we make our mark in history," she said to them.

Kyle smiled and crossed his arms. "This should be fun," he said.

Tionne reached out and pressed a button on the furnace. The power system came on and it hummed. Within seconds, the furnace heated up and pinged. Status lights came on and the entire machine vibrated slightly.

Brakiss walked over and knelt down, looking through the pane of transparisteel on the door. "Luke _will_ be happy at this," he said. "Although one wonders if he'll know what to do with it."

Tionne glanced at him. "What do you mean? Of _course_ he'll know what to do with it!" Her eyes suddenly narrowed. "Why wouldn't he?"

Brakiss straightened up and noted the stares coming from everyone. "I mean no disrespect to him, Tionne. It's just… he's not the most eloquent person in Known Space."

Mara stepped over and grabbed Brakiss by the shoulder, spinning him around so she could lock eyes with him. "Actions speak louder than words, Brakiss. He might not have much style, but he's got substance."

Brakiss took a step back, but bumped into Tionne. He turned and swallowed as he felt her glare on him. "I-I didn't mean anything bad by it!' he exclaimed, holding up both hands.

Tionne smiled at him, her eyes and aura in the Force betraying her feelings. "So what _did _you mean by it?" she asked, hands clenched.

A fine sheen of sweat broke out on Brakiss' smooth scalp, but he was saved from responding when Kam cleared his throat, attracting everyone's attention. "Maybe we should get back to training. Luke and Kyp will be back tomorrow, and we shouldn't get behind. The galaxy needs Jedi."

Murmurs of agreement were heard and felt as the Jedi left the room. Tionne lingered for a bit, her eyes glancing to the ceiling. _Don't be late_, she thought, her mind focusing on the bond she shared with Luke. _I miss you too much already._

* * *

_The Next Day_

An aging freighter descended through the sky to touch down at the landing field, the repulsors bouncing it a bit before it settled. The main hatch slid open, squeaking and sticking slightly.

Luke walked down the main ramp and noted Tionne, Kam and Kyle waiting him. He hugged Tionne and kissed her before shaking Kyle and Kam's hands. "Anything new?"

"We've started construction on a holocron for our Order," Kam reported. "It was Tionne's idea, and a damned good one at that."

Luke glanced at the two before smiling. "Yes, yes it is." He reached out and took her hand in his. "I see you two have buried the vibro-blade."

Kam smiled slightly and stepped back slightly. "It was a long time coming." He motioned to the Temple. "Dorsk is tending to the fusion furnaces at the moment. Brakiss is using my saber for drone practice."

"And I'm eager to see my apprentice," Mara said as she emerged from the Temple's entrance and hopped down the stairs, a few at a time. She speed-walked up to the old freighter and looked it over. "Kyp… feels different." She turned back to Luke. "What happened?"

Luke waved his hand at the freighter. "He should tell you himself, Mara."

Kyp walked off the ship, holding his hand over his eyes to block out the glare. His eyes no longer held the twinkle of youth, nor did they possess the mania they did after coming back from the brink. "Hey," he said a bit weakly.

Mara looked him over as he stiffly walked over to her. "Kyp, what happened to you?"

"It's a long, painful story-emphasis on painful," he quipped. He then looked up at the Temple. "The _Sun Crusher_ is no more, thank the Force."

Luke placed a hand on Kyp's shoulder. "He nearly sacrificed himself to destroy it, along with a prototype Death Star."

Kyle's mouth hung open slightly. "I'm sorry, a what?"

Kyp sighed. "I'll explain later. It's quite a story."

Mara placed a hand on his shoulder, letting some of her strength flow through the contact. "First, you need rest," she said, walking him back to the Great Temple.

Kam shook his head as he watched them go. "That should be one hell of a tale." he turned back to Luke and opened his mouth, but stopped as he saw Luke and Tionne staring into each other's eyes. He half-closed his eyes and reached out to the freighter with the Force, detecting familiar and unfamiliar life aboard. "Come on out, Han! Your ship's fine."

Han walked down the main ramp, arms crossed. "I wasn't thinking of the _Falcon_, really!"

Kyle snorted. "Yeah, and Wookiees are bald."

"Very funny," Han said as he walked up to the pair. "There's cargo aboard," he said, pointing his thumb at the fuselage. "I think the old guy onboard is gonna need help with it."

Kyle nodded and stepped around Han, walking up to the aft cargo ramp as it lowered. He let out a whistle as the ramp's gears groaned and squeaked, the hydraulics hissing. "They don't make them like this anymore-thank the Force."

"Hey!" a voice from inside the cargo bay said. An older man walked down right up to Kyle and jabbed a gloved finger at the Jedi, coming close but not quite touching his flak vest. "The _Lightning Rod_ may be old, but she's gotten me through more scrapes than any other ship would've!"

Kyle's hands shot up and he took a half-step back. "Whoa, whoa! Sorry, old man! I take it back!"

The old man's scowl turned into a smile as his hand opened up. "Well, in that case, never mind. Oh, the name's not 'old man', either. It's Peckhum."

Kyle nodded and grasped the proffered hand, pumping it twice. "Nice to meet you." He turned his head and looked inside the cargo bay at various containers strapped down to the deck plating or bulkheads. "Need some help?"

Peckhum turned and looked in, scratching his head. "I will, thanks." He let go of Kyle's hand and walked up the ramp, leading the Jedi inside. "Now, be careful with some of these containers…"

Kam chuckled lightly as he observed Kyle and Peckhum. He turned back and saw Luke and Tionne still standing together, whispering to each other. "Hey, Kyle, need some help?" he abruptly shouted.

* * *

"I missed you," Tionne said. A smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she regarded Luke. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she felt fatigue throughout his body. "What happened?"

"Admiral Daala showed up with her final star destroyer," he said. "There was a fight in the Maw Installation with a Death Star prototype. Kyp almost sacrificed himself to destroy it and had to spend a week in a bacta tank to heal." He glanced up at the ancient ziggurat and narrowed his eyes slightly. "His body's healed, but I'm worried about his actions during the fight."

Tionne turned and followed his gaze up the stone walls, eventually stepping back to Luke's side. "You think he's still suicidal," she stated.

Luke rubbed his chin with his free hand. "No… that's not it. He's past that phase now. Although redemption and atonement will weigh heavily on him, perhaps for the rest of his life. He's fundamentally a good man, so his actions while under Kun's thrall will weigh heavily on his mind."

Tionne sighed. "He deserves better." She suddenly glanced back at Luke. "What? What is it?" she asked, feeling something from him.

Luke paused. "Tionne… I feel it might be time, now. Time to go out and search for where you come from." He stepped around and tilted his head down slightly to lock eyes with her. "I know you need this."

Tionne swallowed and fought down the rising blush from her cheeks. She sighed and glanced away. "You're right. I do need this." She let go of Luke's hand and hugged herself, eyes half-closing. "But… what if in the end, it turns out I'm not really Tionne?"

"What if it turns out you really are Tionne?" he teasingly argued. His grin fell away and his eyes narrowed slightly. "Tionne, I believe in you, but you also have to believe in yourself."

Tionne paused at his words. _He's right… as if he could ever _be_ wrong._ She suddenly shook her head. "I'll… believe in myself, Luke. So, where do we start, Exis Station?"

Luke nodded. "The only place I can think of, really. Unless…"

"No flashes of insight," Tionne confirmed, a sad smile on her face. She glanced to the _Lightning Rod_ and scratched her head. "Wait, what are we gonna use to fly there? Your X-wing might be a bit too crowded," she teased.

The Jedi Master's face pinked a bit and his eyes shifted. "Yeah, too… crowded," he muttered, rocking a bit on his heels. "I returned that old freighter I used to originally fly to Exis Station. And Han needs the _Falcon_ to get home to his family."

Tionne held up a hand. "And I wouldn't ask him to delay that. Those kids need their father and he needs toe be with them." She paused and placed her hands on her hips, her jaw tilting down. "You know, I don't think an X-wing and Z-95 headhunter are enough ships for a Jedi Order. How did the old Order do it?"

"Not a clue," Luke admitted. He sighed before chuckling. "A Jedi Master and his girlfriend can't get off planet. I'm not sure if this is irony, poetic justice or we can't see the forest for the Ewoks. What do you think?"

Tionne shrugged. "Maybe we should ask Han if he's got any suggestions? Or simply buy a small ship of our own?"

Luke glanced back over his shoulder as his brother-in-law walked up. "Good idea." He turned around fully. "Heading out?"

Han nodded. "I just gotta do a preflight and yeah, back to Coruscant." He glanced at the two. "What?"

"Han," Tionne began. "Any chance you could get us a line on a starship?" she asked, bouncing slightly on her heels.

Han arched an eyebrow. "A ship?" he asked, spreading his arms wide. "You two?"

Luke nodded. "The only ships we have right at the moment are starfighters, which would be a bit cramped for a trip back to Exis Station."

Han's gaze drifted to the _Falcon._ "You know-"

"We're not taking you away from your family either," Tionne stated, eyes narrowing slightly.

Han waved her off. "Who said anything about me staying behind? Lando's on Coruscant right now, Luke, finalizing his deals with Talon and the Smuggler's Alliance. I can shoot him a message to have him stay on planet and hook you up with something."

Luke and Tionne exchanged a glance. "I've never been to Coruscant," Tionne admitted. She rubbed her chin. "Actually, I've never been _anywhere_ besides Exis Station and Yavin IV." She nodded to Han and grinned. "Okay, let's go!"

Han held up a hand. "Not so fast, kid. Gotta do a quick preflight check first, then we can take off. And I bet Luke's got some last-minute things to take care of too around here."

Luke scratched the back of his head. "Yeah… might be a good idea for me to talk with everyone else first, now that I think about it." He turned and kissed Tionne lightly on the lips before walking off to the _Lightning Rod_, shouting, "Kam, Kyle…"

Han chuckled and shook his head as he and Tionne observed him running off. "He's always had a weakness for a pretty face." He turned back to Tionne and motioned to the _Falcon_. "The preflight checks will go a lot quicker if I've got help."

Tionne nodded and took a step forward, but stopped. "Wait, what are preflight checks?"

* * *

"… Now take a look at the engines nozzles and maneuvering vanes. How do they look? Any loose joints or corrosion?"

Tionne stood under the aft end of the _Falcon_, her head craning up at the inert engines of the freighter. "No," she said, shaking her head. "The engines look to be in working order." Her eyes wandered over the rest of the pitted, scarred and rusting ventral hull plating. "Although the rest…"

Han waved her off with one hand and motioned to the ventral surface of his beloved freighter with the other. "All window dressing, Tionne. Enemies see a decrepit freighter and think easy pickings. It also gives the old girl character." He reached over and patted one of the landing struts, but yelped when gas blew from one of the joints.

Tionne half-closed her eyes and telekinetically latched onto him, dragging him away from the whitish plume. "Lovely character," she said, tilting her head down slightly. "You might wanna look into giving the _Falcon_ an overhaul, Han. What about Jacen, Jaina and Anakin?"

Han opened his mouth, but closed it and looked over the pits and scars. "You've got a… point," he admitted. He rubbed his hands on his trousers and sighed. "Yeah, a good point." He shook his head as he led Tionne out from underneath and into the sunlight. Han held his hand over his eyes for a moment and looked around, finally stopping. "Hey, kid!" he shouted, waving.

Luke waved back as he walked from the Great Temple. He had a small duffel bag slung over his shoulder and his robe was cinched around his body, hood up and concealing his still-boyish features. "All set," he said, walking up to Tionne and taking her hand. "Are you?"

Tionne nodded. "I've got almost everything I own on the _Falcon_ already." She swallowed and glanced at the freighter. "What am I gonna find?"

"Yourself," Luke said. He nodded at Han and smiled. "Thanks for the lift to Coruscant."

Han waved him off. "It's three you owe me, now." And with that, he walked around to the side and up the main loading ramp, disappearing inside.

Tionne and Luke followed, but stopped as the other students emerged and ran down the temple steps, feet barely touching the smooth stone as they ran to the pair. "Be safe, sister!" Kirana Ti called out.

"Make sure you come back," Mara said. "Us girls have to stick together, after all."

Streen held up a gloved hand and waved slowly while Brakiss tossed her a salute. Kyp stood there, hands in his pockets, but he locked eyes with Tionne for a moment before nodding. Dorsk 81 also waved, his lipless mouth curled in a smile.

Tionne blinked a few times as moisture stung her eyes. "I'll be back," she called out. "With or without answers, I'll be back." And with that, she and Luke boarded the _Falcon._

The main ramp quickly retracted into the hull and the outer hatch closed, sealing itself with a hiss. The ion engines glowed as the ship rumbled, lifting off slightly. The landing gear retracted and the _Falcon_ pivoted on its axis, thrusters flaring as it shot out of the atmosphere and disappearing.

Mara shook her head. "She'll be all right,' she said. "She's got Luke with her, after all."

Brakiss merely sighed. "Mara, you of all people should know how the past has a peculiar way of-OW!" He winced and swatted behind his ear. "Did you have to do that?" he growled, flashing ice-blue eyes at Mara.

"Yes, I did."

* * *

Han checked the hyperdrive, kicking the side of a console and uttering a stream of Hutt curses. "Okay, all set," he finally said. He swiveled around in the pilot's chair and flashed a roguish grin at Luke in the copilot's chair and Tionne at one of the aft stations. "Lando's waiting for us and has a ship for you two."

Luke nodded and smiled. "Good old Lando." He turned to Tionne. "You'll like him," he said, chuckling. "He's a bit of a… smooth operator, though."

Tionne shrugged. "It'll be nice to meet more of your friends." Her gaze drifted to the viewport. "Let's do it."

* * *

_Arkania_

A console beeped, disturbing the scientist. He hurried from one of the tables along the wall to a central computer unit. Solid-white eyes looked over a holographic readout and long, clawed fingers stabbed at a keyboard. "This isn't right," he mumbled. "Why is the experiment moving?"

He pressed another button and a holo-projector in the middle of the room sprang to life. A tiny dot moved from a shimmering image of a solar system before disappearing. Arrows branched out from where it disappeared, most of them flowing to another solar system, labeled 'Coruscant'.

A scowl crossed the long, lean face of the scientist. He held up his arm and pressed a button on an armored gauntlet encircling his wrist. "I need you, " he growled out.

Two minutes later, a door opened and a man stepped into the room, armored and armed. His silvery eyes darted about as he took in every part of the room. "What do you want, Norrick?" he asked, lips twitching.

The scientist, Norrick, turned to the new arrival. "The experiment is moving, Talon. I feel this is a lost cause. Terminate her and anyone she's associated with."

Talon grinned, showing filed and fanged teeth. "Ten million credits," he said, holding up his hand and rubbing his thumb across two fingers.

Norrick's mouth turned down and he pressed another button. "That mere pittance?" He pressed a series of buttons on the gauntlet. "Done. Now, go."

Talon bowed, his right arm grabbing a shaft strapped to his back and sliding it off. He pressed a button on it and two blades popped out of either end. "Little sister, I'm going to kill you," he chanted as he whirled about and exited, leaving Norrick alone.

* * *

_Dathomir_

Kir Kanos looked up, eyes squinting. His helmet was cradled in his left arm while his right clutched his staff. With one motion, he slipped the helmet on, gaskets auto-sealing with mild _chinks_. His boots crunched in the sand as he approached his personal ship, a modified skipray blastboat named _Justice. _He clambered up onto the starboard stabilizer mounted on the primary hull, the main hatch sliding open with the press of a button.

The imperial guardsman settled into the cockpit a moment later, the hatch sealing up. The single ion engine flared to life and the _Justice_ lifted off the ground, the aft wings rotating around to flight mode before the blastboat left the atmosphere.

Kanos was silent as he inputted coordinates into the hyperdrive, but one thought coursed through his mind. _Luke Skywalker, for crimes against the Empire and for killing Emperor Palpatine, I sentence you to death!_


	12. Chapter 12

sonn4jam3s-lol, thanks. I like L/M as well, but Luke/Tionne is fascinating to me. I like her character and think she's been grossly underused.

**Chapter Twelve: Finding the Past**  
_Coruscant_  
The _Millennium Falcon _exited hyperspace with the city-covered planet in view from the cockpit. Han turned to his passengers and grinned. "Welcome to Coruscant. Please stow all personal belongings and return to your seat. Fasten all crash webbing and I thank you for flying Solo."

Tionne stared out at the city-covered planet below her, her eyes darting to and fro at the orbital stations, starships, starfighter wings and debris still left over from the imperial invasion nearly two years ago. "Is this left over from Palpatine?" she asked, mouth slightly agape.

Han shrugged slightly as he sent the _Falcon _into an inverted climb, avoiding a chunk of ship armor and the solar panel of a TIE interceptor. "From the ones who kicked us off of Coruscant even before Palpatine reared his ugly head. Their petty squabbling wrecked the planet and turned the orbital zones into one big junkyard."

A small voice came through a speaker grille embedded in the console in front of Han. "_Millennium Falcon_, this is ground control. You are clear for approach to Fleet Command and hangar bay seventy."

The _Falcon _entered the atmosphere, skimming across the city-covered planet. A large, pyramidal structure quickly loomed on the horizon, dominating the skyline from even this far out. "Is that the palace?" Tionne asked, silver eyes wide.

Han nodded. "That it is."

Luke leaned over from his chair and placed a hand on Tionne's shoulder, letting some of his strength flow through the contact. "Don't worry," he said. "I still get turned around inside that thing. Hopefully we won't have to go much beyond the hangar bay."

"What about Leia or the kids?" Tionne asked, glancing back at him.

Han shrugged. "Her highness is probably waist-deep in red tape and other bureaucratic shavit. She was in meetings when I left, and I don't expect much to have changed."

Tionne nodded, the corners of her mouth falling as the _Falcon _slowed down, entering one of the cavernous hangar bays. A flight-control droid waved lighted-up arms, directing the freighter to starboard and an empty spot. There was a muffled _thud _as the landing gear connected with the durasteel floor. Tionne unbuckled her crash webbing before rising and following Luke and Han out.

A cacophony of noise greeted her as technicians ran about and heavy machinery whirred, ground and hummed. Her hand reached out, grabbing Luke's for support. "This is... new," she commented.

Luke nodded. "I grew up around machinery, speeders and starfighters. To me, this is... normal." he turned to her and half-smiled. "A far cry from Yavin IV, I'll admit."

A dry chuckle escaped Tionne's lips. "Just a bit." She glanced around, taking it all in. "Are all hangars like this?"

Han nodded. He looked to the side and raised his hand, waving it. "Hey, over here!" he shouted. He looked back to Luke. "Make sure Tionne doesn't get swept off her feet," he said, winking.

A rather handsome man walked over, a ten-kilometer grin on his face. "I wouldn't think anything of the sort," Lando Calrissian said. He bowed, his cape fluttering a bit and his finely-tailored clothes somehow holding their creases. He looked Tionne over, nodding at her. "Well, what have we here?" he said, taking her hand in his. He looked to Luke, winking. "Good to see you, Luke. A friend of yours?"

Tionne's pale cheeks flushed red and her mouth hung open slightly at the darkly handsome man in front of her. "Well Luke's my boyfriend and we're really close and fought a Sith spirit on Yavin IV and we kissed and hugged and kissed some more and-"

Luke stepped forward, holding up a hand. "Better turn it down, Lando," he said.

Lando smiled and let go of Tionne's hand. "My apologies, young lady." He straightened out and turned to his right. "I've got a ship ready for you, Luke. Free of charge, too." He began walking off to the back of the hangar. "Just make sure to take care of her," he said as Luke, Tionne and Han followed.

The group stopped in front of a SoroSuub 3000 luxury yacht, a slate-gray ship more in use by dilettantes than anyone else. Luke looked over the fifty-meter long ship before turning to Lando and crossing his arms. "Okay, so is the ship you got for us behind the _Lady Luck_?"

Lando's mouth opened slightly and he placed a hand on his chest. "Luke, it _is _the _Lady Luck_!" He walked up and patted the ship on one of the engine pods. "I've managed to outfit her with more firepower, advanced shields and a better hyperdrive." He turned to Luke and spread his arms wide. "And you and Tionne deserve to go in style!"

Luke swallowed. He looked the ship over, rubbing his chin. "Wait, won't you need the ship?"

Lando shook his head. "I'm gonna be busy on Kessel with a Miss Shada D'ukal setting up operations there," he said, his grin somehow becoming even wider. He sidled up to Luke. "She's an... interesting lady. A bit standoffish, though."

A snort and smirk broke through Luke's lips. He covered his hand with his mouth. "And you'll be working your 'usual charms' on her?" he guessed.

Han held up his arm and glanced at his wrist. "If he's done that, only a matter of time before he's kicked offplanet and into the Maw."

Lando's right hand snaked out, swatting at Han. "It's a wonder Leia took you in, you pirate," he groused, even as his eyes twinkled. His left hand reached into his vest pocket and pulled out a thin piece of plastic. "Here's the key card. Don't scratch the paint, either."

Luke gave him a quick salute before Lando grabbed Han by the arm, walking off and talking about 'reliving the good old days.' He shook his head before looking to Tionne. "Lando's a smooth operator around the ladies. His casual conversation is considered to be a mating ritual in some societies."

Tionne pursed her lips, but a bit of laughter still escaped. She looked the _Lady Luck _over. "A lot different than the Falcon," she observed. "The hull is... smooth."

Luke grinned as he took Tionne by the hand and led her over to the starboard side . He and Tionne did a quick walk around the _Lady Luck _before they walked up the main boarding ramp. Luke swiped the card through a slot in a control panel on the hatch.

Indicator lights changed from red to green and the hatch slid open while a soothing female voice spoke. "**Welcome, Luke Skywalker and Tionne. Master Calrissian has informed me of your taking possession of the **_**Lady Luck **_**for the time being. All command codes and authorizations have been temporarily transferred to you."**

Luke nodded as he stepped into the main crew cabin. He whistled softly at the couches and soft amenities scattered throughout. He ran a finger along the fine greel-wood paneling. "This costs more than my X-wing," he commented.

Tionne stood next to him, eyebrows furrowed. "Why?" she asked. "It's just wood. There's an entire moon of wood back on Yavin IV."

Luke shook his head. "Depends on where you're from. Importing wood to, say, Tattooine, would be expensive since it's all desert. While finding spare parts for an X-wing or Z-95 headhunter in the local garbage dump would be rather easy." He walked to the cockpit and sat down, sighing as the chair's cushions conformed to his body. "This feels... nice."

Tionne sat in the copilot's chair, shifting a bit as the cushions moved. "This is... odd. I don't know what my life was like before Exis Station, but even I think she'd be uncomfortable with so much luxury."

Luke nodded. "I was raised on Tattooine, living the life of a moisture farmer with Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru. It was a hard life, but a good one. Lando... likes _things_." He raised his hand. "He's got a good heart, and has given up everything for his friends, but he's still more comfortable living the high life."

Tionne shrugged. "Nothing wrong with that. He's a... nice man," she said, settling back and smiling. She reached over and tugged crash webbing down over her body, securing herself. "Are we ready?"

Luke nodded. He pushed several controls on the ship, sealing it up and starting up the engines. The _Lady Luck _vibrated slightly as the ion engines powered up. Luke slipped on a headset. "Fleet Command, this is _Lady Luck _requesting permission to disembark."

A tinny voice came through his headset and a speaker grille mounted on the control console. "Roger, _Lady Luck_. You are cleared for departure."

Luke pulled back on the control stick and the hangar outside tilted down slightly. He pulled on the throttle, guiding the ship out of the hangar and into open space. He glanced down at the hyperdrive panel. "Got the coordinates for Exis Station?"

Tionne nodded. Her slim fingers danced across the keypad, typing in numbers and symbols. The computer triple-beeped and she nodded. "All set," she reported. The silver-haired Jedi breathed deep, smiling nervously. "Let's go find where I came from."

The _Lady Luck _cleared the atmosphere, dodging the debris hanging in orbit of Coruscant. Within minutes, the ship's hull elongated, the aft end 'snapping' forward as the entire ship vanished into hyperspace with a brilliant flash of white light.

* * *

_Five days later_  
Tionne held Luke's lightsaber up, the blade humming and pulsing with an inner life. She reached up and slammed the visor of her blast helmet down, shutting out the galaxy. She held the emerald blade up and shifted her stance, sliding her feet apart. "I don't like this," she said.

Luke, standing off to the side of the main cabin, crossed his arms. "Don't like what?"

"I'm holding a plasma blade capable of cutting through almost anything while in a thin-hulled starship. One wrong swing and we both die." She stepped back as a remote whirled about, laser emitters powering up.

Luke rubbed his chin. "That's a... good point." His brow wrinkled as he sat on a couch two meters from Tionne. "I _do _wonder how training went with lightsabers. Was there a... a training mode?"

Tionne grunted as she swung the blade, deflecting several low-power blasts. She suddenly knelt down, twisting the plasma blade around in her hands. "I don't know, but it's definitely something worth looking into. Did I scorch anything?"

Luke chuckled and shook his head. "The setting's low enough so nothing will be damaged." He suddenly glanced around. "I think." He noted nothing damaged in the cabin and breathed a sigh of relief. "I wonder if Lando would accept an IOU for anything damaged."

Tionne backed up several steps, continuing to deflect the bolts. Sweat formed on her brow and her hands ached, but she kept the borrowed blade up. "Why wouldn't he? He's your friend, after all."

Luke half-smiled, but any reply was cut short as the comm beeped. "**Hyperspace reversion in two minutes."**

Luke stood up and held out his hand. The remote stopped in midair and shut down, flying off to the side and landing on the deck. He turned and exited the cabin, crossing the short distance to the cockpit. Tionne followed close behind, ditching her helmet and extinguishing the lightsaber. She sat down in the copilot's seat, strapping in quickly. "Oh, here you go," she said, reaching out with Luke's lightsaber.

Luke smiled and took the proffered hilt. "Thanks," he said, making sure to grip Tionne's hand before taking the hilt back and clipping it to his belt. He looked ahead at the swirling vortex of hyperspace. "Ready?"

Tionne nodded, throat suddenly dry. _What will we find here? Anything? Nothing? Everything?_ "Yeah, she croaked out.

The _Lady Luck _emerged from hyperspace with a flash of croneau radiation. The small cruiser angled to starboard, heading for Exis Station where Luke found Tionne over a year ago.

Luke turned to Tionne and let go of the control stick. "Are you ready?"

Tionne nodded. She opened a small compartment on the console and pulled out a pair of pilot gloves. "Ready," she said, pulling them on before grabbing the control stick in front of her. She flipped a few switches, activating maneuvering thrusters. A holographic, three-dimensional HUD appeared in front of her, showing her the flight path of the _Lady Luck_. She pushed the stick down slightly, lining up the targeting reticule with the hangar doors of Exis Station and pushing forward on the throttle.

The station loomed, growing closer. Tionne aimed for the central core and the already-opening hangar door. The cruiser touched down, settling on the durasteel deck plating before the main hatch opened, allowing Luke and Tionne to exit.

Luke looked around. "Kinda wish I brought Artoo," he admitted.

"He's better off back at Yavin IV," Tionne said. "They probably need him back there more than we do here." She looked around, sighing. "I'm gonna open my mind and see if anything comes in."

Luke nodded. He walked around and faced Tionne. "I will help," he said, placing his left hand on her cheek.

Tionne's silvery eyes half-closed as she let her mind slip free, traveling with guidance from the Force...  
_

* * *

..."Mommy, Talon won't play fair!"_

_A shadowy woman turned to a young Tionne and a young boy. "Talon, don't mess with your sister," she warned._

_Tionne smiled, but it quickly dropped as she looked to Talon. The small boy's face contorted, his eyes aflame. "MOMMY!"_

_"It will hurt, but only for a moment," the scientist said before placing the mask over her face. "Not that it matters. You're only an experiment after all...  
_

* * *

A gasp escaped Tionne as her eyes opened, widening. "No!" she shouted.

Luke kept his hand on her cheek, sending soothing thoughts into her mind. "Tionne, focus. Remember your breathing," he said. He locked eyes with her. "In through the nose, out through the mouth. Slow it down."

Tionne snorted slightly as she calmed down. "I saw... my mother," she murmured. She licked her lips. "And a small boy named Talon, but he wasn't nice." She described the vision she had, hesitating a bit at the end. "Maybe that man with the respirator wiped my memory."

Luke nodded. He finally took his hand off her face, letting it slide into her grip. "Did you see any distinguishing marks or characteristics? Did you see anything beyond him?"

Tionne shook her head, silvery hair trailing behind. "No," she said. "All I could see was him." She rubbed her chin with her free hand. "The person I think was my mother was in shadow, so I don't _really _know what she looked like. Talon was silver-haired, like me. But his hair was short and his eyes..." She shuddered, lips curling. "They weren't kind eyes.

The conversation was disrupted as a familiar and unwelcome tingle traveled up both their spines. "Trouble," Luke said, eyes narrowing. He dropped his hand from Tionne's cheek and held his hand over his belt. Luke's lightsaber quivered before leaping into his hand, igniting.

Tionne backed up, hands held up. She looked out past the still-open hangar doors to the void of space. "Someone's coming," she said. "Highly focused, determined... He's angry."

The Jedi Master gave her a short nod as a tiny speck of light quickly grew, taking shape as a skipray blastboat. Although smaller than the _Lady Luck_, it outgunned the cruiser by a considerable margin. It slowed down, passing through the atmosphere containment field and touching down. Thrusters fired and gas vented as it settled. The cockpit hatch opened, and Kir Kanos leapt out.

The Royal Guard stood in full armor, his face covered by the slit-eyed mask of his order. His staff twitched in his right hand as he spoke, voice muffled slightly by the mask. "Luke Skywalker, on behalf of the Royal Guard, I sentence you to death!" he shouted before jumping, double-bladed staff slashing at the Jedi.

Luke backpedaled, raising his lightsaber. He blocked Kanos' initial overhead slice and hopped back, avoiding the reversed swing at his legs. He jabbed at Kanos' armored midsection with his lightsaber, drawing the guard's defenses in. "Who the _hell _are you?" he shouted, projecting the Force through his voice.

Kanos blocked and parried the jabs away, quickly exposing Luke's torso. He brought one of the ends of his staff up in a sweeping motion at the Jedi's chest. The blade cut through Luke's shirt, also leaving a shallow gash across the skin. Blood seeped down, turning Luke's black shirt a muddy brown.

Luke gasped slightly, but shunted the pain away. He spared a moment to direct healing energy to the wound before turning his full attention back to his assailant. He brought his blade up with a two-handed grip, blocking a downward slice from Kanos' weapon. He _pushed_ the weapon up, sending Kanos stumbling and falling back.

The guard fell to the deck, rolling a few times, but coming up on one knee. He scowled and untangled his cape from around his body. "I _will_ have my justice!" he snarled through his mask.

Luke touched his wound. He felt dried blood, but the cut had healed enough to prevent further blood loss. He looked back to Tionne. "I've got this guy."

Tionne locked eyes with Luke for a moment before looking past to Kanos. "Why don't you answer Luke? Palpatine was an evil man, and a Sith! Why fight for him?"

Kanos looked past Luke to Tionne. "The Emperor brought Order and peace to a galaxy ravaged by the Clone Wars and a dying Old Republic. He saved the galaxy!"

"By bringing the order of the grave, the peace of the prisoner camp," Luke retorted. He straightened himself out. "Your actions, in their own way, are noble, but still wrong. Cease now."

Kanos stood back up. He hefted his weapon, but hesitated. The double-bladed staff lowered as confusion played out on both his face and in his aura in the Force. "That's what she said," he eventually mumbled.

Tionne's brow wrinkled. "Who?"

"Mirith Sinn," he responded. Kanos looked down at the deck plating, his face a mask. He finally tossed his staff away and dropped to his knees. "Kill me."

Luke stared at him for a moment, probing him with the Force. He shook his head. "I won't kill you," he finally said. He extended a hand. "You seem like a decent man underneath your gruff exterior."

Kanos stared at the hand, eyes wide. "But I tried to kill you just now!" he exclaimed.

Tionne spoke up. "That's happened a lot of times to Luke. Kam tried to kill him, and Mara said she was going to kill him. Both are back at the Academy now, learning how to use the Light." She smiled at the guardsman. "You can, too."

Kanos stared at her for a moment. "I am not sure," he finally said. He slowly rose to his feet. "I'm not sure of anything anymore..."

"Who's Mirith Sinn?" Luke asked, confusion crossing his face. "She's important to you... I can feel that. But it brings out guilt, too. Is she New Republic?"

A smile gradually formed on Kanos' face. "She is, yes. We met twice, during my mission to kill Karnor Jax and again during my mission to slay the Imperial Ruling Council." He looked away again. "She told me of her husband and what happened to him on Nez Peron."

Luke sucked in a breath. "I've heard about that. Vader went there and destroyed the new resistance cell, there. The planet was starving, but the Empire kept demanding food shipments from them." His eyes hardened slightly. "They just wanted enough food to survive."

Tionne stepped forward and stood beside Luke, not sensing any true danger from Kanos anymore. "You know Palpatine was evil, so why not abandon this quest of yours? You could do so much good."

Kanos shook his head. "My training, my indoctrination into the Guard was... thorough, young one. I was shaped into a weapon, serving His Majesty until my death." He clenched his gloved hands. "Maybe someday... " Kanos abruptly turned on his heel, but stopped. "Wait, what are you two doing here? This station's been abandoned for a long time." He looked to Tionne. "And who are you?"

A sad smile crossed Tionne's face. "We're here to find out the answer to the second question..." Her brow furrowed. "What's your name?"

"Kir Kanos," he replied. "And yours?"

"Tionne." She waved her hand around the hangar bay. "Luke found me here almost a year ago. I have no personal memories prior to our meeting. So after getting the Academy established, he and I are taking a trip, trying to find my memories." A sad smile crossed her face. "It started to work when you showed up."

Kanos' cheeks flushed slightly. "I'm sorry. Memories can be a burden, though. Are you sure you want them back?"

Tionne's lips twitched. She walked up to Kanos, standing a half-meter from the well-trained, armored man. "At this point, yes!" she cried out, throwing her arms out. "My entire life before Luke doesn't exist, and the mystery behind it is gnawing at me." She tapped the side of her head. "Who am I? Why am I here? Why did Luke find me here? Why is my hair naturally silver? I _need_ to know the answers to these questions!" She panted slightly. "It's just... " She trailed off and looked askance, covering her mouth with her hand.

Luke was beside her in a second. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled Tionne in for a warm embrace while also sending her soothing thoughts through their bond in the Force. Tionne wrapped her arms around Luke's waist and shuddered slightly, letting her emotion bleed out. She pulled away slightly and sniffed. "Thanks. I'm sorry about that, it was-"

"Don't apologize," Luke said, half-smiling. "We all have our breaking points." He stood there for a moment, relishing the feel of Tionne in his arms. Her bright eyes, her long hair, her...

Both Jedi suddenly turned their heads, seeing a rather embarrassed Kanos standing off to the side. He had his hands clasped behind his back and was looking up at the ceiling. Luke dropped his arms to his side. "Kir, are you all right?"

Kanos looked back down. "I'm sorry. I'm not used to that level of... intimacy between two people."

Tionne's eyes widened. "A hug?"

The guardsman sighed, his shoulders drooping slightly. "So... have you experienced any other flashes of memory prior to coming here?"

Tionne hesitated before shaking her head. "Nothing, I'm afraid." She looked around. "But in time..."

Kanos nodded. "In time." He looked to Luke. "My vendetta... is postponed, and perhaps ended. I shall leave you now." He turned and walked back to his blastboat, pausing only to retrieve his staff.

The Jedi Master felt a twinge in his spine. He held up his hand. "Kir, please wait." The guardsman stopped and Luke continued. "Please, stay. There's a reason for you have found me here and to still be alive. Let's not waste it. Please, stay."

Kanos turned around. He glanced to Tionne while speaking to Luke. "Shouldn't you two be alone?" he asked, the ghost of a smile on his face.

Tionne snorted. "It's a big station, Kir. And we've got two ships." She paused and stood stock-still for a moment. Tionne looked to Luke, locking eyes with him. "And we both feel you should stay..."

Kanos shifted his weight slightly. "Two Jedi feeling I should stay." He cocked his head to the side. "Very well."

Luke smiled and tossed him a salute. "Welcome to the Light, Kir Kanos."

* * *

_One week later_

Kanos sat in front of his ship. His legs were crossed, despite the light armor he wore on his shins. He breathed in slowly through his nose, and out through the mouth. His entire body sat still, save for the slight flaring of his nostrils.

Tionne approached him. She stepped lightly on the deck plating, not sure how to approach him. She finally cleared her throat. "Kir? Luke and I are having lunch and... we thought you could join us, if you want." She tilted her head slightly as she looked at him. "Kir, I know you can hear me."

Kanos opened one eye and looked up at her. "Sorry. It takes a moment to come out of my meditations." He uncrossed his legs and, with no aid from his arms, stood straight up. He looked down slightly at the silver-haired Jedi, his mouth a straight line. "I prefer eating alone, Tionne. I am used to it." He turned from her, but stopped and looked back. "Thank you, though."

A small smile crossed Tionne's face. "You're welcome. But if you want, we're three levels down. Luke and I have the intercom system working so you can find us."

Kanos looked back at her. "No need. I am Force-sensitive and can track you two if need be." A glimmer of amusement crossed his face at her open shock. "How did you think I tracked Skywalker?"

Tionne opened her mouth, closed it, opened it once more and slowly nodded. "I figured you were simply a good tracker. Luke told me about Boba Fett and other bounty hunters." She grinned and looked away for a moment. Him, Dengar, IG-88 and others. I almost wish I'd met some of them."

A bark of laughter came from Kanos. "You still might. There are still bounties on Skywalker's head, as well as his family. Some of them might try their luck."

Tionne tilted her head back slightly. "Good point." She looked back over her shoulder, past the pressure doors and to the room where Luke waited. "Luke says I should be ready to begin construction of my own lightsaber soon." She looked down at her hands as they clenched slightly. "I hope so. I don't like feeling helpless."

Kanos' eyes looked over Tionne's body. "How much self-defense training do you have?" he asked, walking around her. "You're in good shape, but do you know what to do with it?"

Tionne's pale cheeks reddened slightly. "L-Luke and I spar as often as possible, and of course he and Kieran took me through my paces back at the Praxeum. Although I'd be the first to say how badly I do at it," she admitted, embarrassment coloring her aura in the Force.

The Imperial Guard motioned to his ship. "Meet me here after lunch. If you'd like, I can start showing you some basic moves. Nothing spectacular, but you'll be able to defeat about ninety-nine percent of all sapient beings out there with what I show you."

Tionne's mouth slowly widened in a grin. "Thanks!" she exclaimed. She suddenly turned back to the hatch and rolled her eyes. "Gotta go. Luke just said my food's getting cold." She looked back to Kanos and patted him on his armor-covered forearm. "May the Force be with you." And with that, she dashed out.

A small smile formed on Kanos' mouth. He patted the armor that Tionne touched and shook his head before turning back to his blastboat.

* * *

Tionne speared a chunk of meat with her fork and brought it to her lips. She savored the smell of it before biting and swallowing it. "Force, this is good." She looked over the table to Luke as he ate his own lunch. "Thank you."

Luke looked up from his meal and smiled. "You're welcome. Aunt Beru made sure I had the basics of cooking down early in life. Out in the desert, being able to make your own food is survival 101." He looked down at his plate and sighed. "She and Uncle Owen... probably would've liked you. Uncle Owen had a thick skin, but he was a good man."

Tionne reached across the table and gripped Luke's hand, even as it stretched out to meet her's. Their feelings flowed through the simple physical contact. "They raised a good man," she said, flashing a toothy smile at him.

Luke returned the smile. "Thanks." He let out a sigh. "Any insight into your latest visions of the past?"

A scowl crossed Tionne's face. "Nothing. Still seeing that creepy Talon, and that doctor, or scientist. Or whatever the stang he is." She looked away from Luke, across the empty cafeteria. "I just see him lowering that mask over my face. Although I'm more certain than ever that the woman I see with talon is my mother. If only I could make out her face!" she said, balling her free hand into a fist and slamming it onto the table.

Luke tightened his grip on the hand he held. "You will, Tionne. We've only begun the process. You just need patience."

Tionne sighed. She propped her head op with her free hand and blew a stray lock of hair from her eyes. "I just wish I had more patience _now."_

Luke barked a laugh. He ate some more food and drank some water before speaking again. "Yoda would not have liked hearing you say that." He cleared his throat and scrunched his face up. "Patience you must have, but not right now. Earn patience you must have."

Tionne smiled at him, barely holding in laughter. "Did he really talk like that?"

"Early on," Luke said. "Not all the time, though. I think it was just some affectation to throw me off. Although he lapsed into it on occasion." He finished the food on his plate and looked over to Tionne's equally empty plate. "Full?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

Tionne pushed away the empty plate. She wiped her mouth and rose from the chair. "Thanks," she said, walking over to Luke even as he stood up. She hugged and kissed him lightly on the lips. "Kir offered me some self-defense lessons. Are you..." She trailed off as she sensed a bit of hesitation through her bond with Luke. "Still don't want to push it?" she asked, confusion on her face.

Luke sighed. "I just don't think it would be a good idea to push things too fast with Kir. He has a lot to sort out, and doesn't need me butting in. He'll find his own path."

Tionne nodded. "I suppose." She kissed Luke again before breaking the embrace and heading out. "I love you."

Luke smiled as she left. "I love you, too."


End file.
